CEBU, Philippines - For yesterday’s activity, the 15 girls who were rescued by the police from suspected traffickers at the Cebu City port last Friday night were made to write their life stories.
Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 social welfare assistant Mila Cavan said the girls were also made to include in their respective stories how they ended up going with the arrested suspects from their place in Getafe town, Bohol, supposedly to Manila.
Learn what's the latest update in Cebu Now, click here
The DSWD did not say if the stories would be used in court against the suspects. The minors, whose ages ranged from 14 to 17, were allegedly offered jobs in Manila as housemaids, waitresses and caretakers.
The alleged suspects, a woman and her daughter, who allegedly came from Tandang Sora, Quezon City, claimed to be relatives of the girls.
The girls are now temporarily housed at the DSWD which is establishing contact with the girl’s families in Getafe.
Cavan said social welfare officer Edna Regudo is in charge of the girls’ rehabilitation process.
Cavan said that all families have already been contacted but none have yet come to their office to fetch the girls.
The girls, Cavan further said, woke up early yesterday and took a bath and washed several of their clothes.
“Dagko kaayo ilang mga bag, nag-alsa balutan na gyud mura’g dili na gyud mamalik ba. Bulingon diay ang sud kasagaran,” she said, surmising that the girls were rushed to accompany the suspects because they were not able to prepare their baggage.
In the afternoon, the girls joined drawing activities under the supervision of four house teachers who are in shifting schedules.
Cavan said the girls will undergo such activities until their families claim them.
Cavan said the girls did now show any signs that they were mad at authorities for disrupting their opportunity to “work” in Manila.
“Behaved sila,” she said. The girls were also cooperative in every activity.
Cavan said the house teachers confirmed that all the girls are minors. The dentists of the International Justice Mission are still checking the children’s teeth to verify their real ages in the absence of their birth certificates.
The suspects, a 41-year-old woman and her 22-year-old daughter, will face a charge for violation of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office today.
Maritime Police-7 rescued the girls who were with the suspects at Pier 4 two hours before they were scheduled to sail for Manila.
The rescue operation came after a security guard from a vessel reported to a policeman detailed in the area that he noticed the minors traveling in a group. —(FREEMAN)
The DSWD did not say if the stories would be used in court against the suspects. The minors, whose ages ranged from 14 to 17, were allegedly offered jobs in Manila as housemaids, waitresses and caretakers.
The alleged suspects, a woman and her daughter, who allegedly came from Tandang Sora, Quezon City, claimed to be relatives of the girls.
The girls are now temporarily housed at the DSWD which is establishing contact with the girl’s families in Getafe.
Cavan said social welfare officer Edna Regudo is in charge of the girls’ rehabilitation process.
Cavan said that all families have already been contacted but none have yet come to their office to fetch the girls.
The girls, Cavan further said, woke up early yesterday and took a bath and washed several of their clothes.
“Dagko kaayo ilang mga bag, nag-alsa balutan na gyud mura’g dili na gyud mamalik ba. Bulingon diay ang sud kasagaran,” she said, surmising that the girls were rushed to accompany the suspects because they were not able to prepare their baggage.
In the afternoon, the girls joined drawing activities under the supervision of four house teachers who are in shifting schedules.
Cavan said the girls will undergo such activities until their families claim them.
Cavan said the girls did now show any signs that they were mad at authorities for disrupting their opportunity to “work” in Manila.
“Behaved sila,” she said. The girls were also cooperative in every activity.
Cavan said the house teachers confirmed that all the girls are minors. The dentists of the International Justice Mission are still checking the children’s teeth to verify their real ages in the absence of their birth certificates.
The suspects, a 41-year-old woman and her 22-year-old daughter, will face a charge for violation of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office today.
Maritime Police-7 rescued the girls who were with the suspects at Pier 4 two hours before they were scheduled to sail for Manila.
The rescue operation came after a security guard from a vessel reported to a policeman detailed in the area that he noticed the minors traveling in a group. —(FREEMAN)
No comments:
Post a Comment