DSWD locates mom who treated son like a dog

The office of secretary Dinky Soliman received a report from DSWD-field office III that they track down the location of the child’s mother, who put her son on a leash, morning of May 26 according to Manila Bulletin.

SEE: Netizens angry as mom puts baby on a leash; calls it a pet 

Social workers are coordinating to rescue the toddler and planning to take into custody.He will soon to undergo psychosocial assessments while they will evaluate the mother capacity to take care of her child, Soliman said.

A certain Ayra Dela Cruz Francisco angered netizens by posting photos of her ‘pet’ baby, who treated like a dog, crawling on the floor beside a blue dog bowl.

The secretary cleared that the matter is a case of child abuse and the offender is liable under the violence against Women and Children (VAWC) Act and under Republic Act of 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law.

“Walang karapatan ang sino man na paglaruan ang isang bata. Ang sinumang gagawa nito maski mga sariling magulang ay maaring maparusahan sa ilalim ng batas (No one has the right to treat a child like a toy. Whoever does this can be punished under the law)”, Soliman said.

“Kahit nagbibiruan lang, masamang biro. Hindi alam ng bata na binibiro siya (Even if it was made in jest, it was done in bad taste. The child does not know that it is just a joke)”, the secretary added.

14 cases related to child abuse reported

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police has tallied 14 cases related to child abuse since the year started.

Behind the strategic efforts made by PNP, DSWD and other concerned groups, increasing number of child abuse appears to rise, said by Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin, CIDG spokesperson.

It found out the 70% of the offenders were family members.

“In the child abuse cases we’ve handled, most perpetrators are family members of the victim, if it’s not the mother, the victim’s mother, or his uncle. Other cases involved teachers and neighbors who verbally or physically abuses the child,” Jasmin said.

 Child abuse offense is an unlawful act punishable by a minimum of six months to one year imprisonment to reclusion perpetua, a jail term of up to 40 year, she added.