Ilocanos join advocates to end child rape

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—Ilocanos here has joined child rights advocates in pushing for legislations that protects the rights and welfare of children above anything else.

In a public forum held at the Student Center of Northwestern University here, school President Ferdinand Nicolas welcomed over a hundred participants mostly composed of students from different colleges and universities in the province to support the campaign to end child rape.

“The campaign aims to raise the age to determine statutory rape in the Philippines from 12 to at least 16 years old. It also aims to introduce the progressive amendments in the anti-rape law, such as the equalization of legal protection for both boy and girl child victims and the removal of forgiveness clause in cases of marital rape,” CRN convenor Romeo Dongeto said in an interview.

In Ilocos Norte, record from the Philippine National Police shows an increasing trend of rape cases while some remain unreported.

In 2018, the PNP reported 47 rape cases as compared to 43 cases in 2017.

For the period of January this year, at least four rape cases were already reported to the police with two children involved in physical injury.

Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development also shows that from 2015 to 2017, most of the victims of rape and child incest were between 14-year old to 17.

In view of this, the Child Rights Network, the largest alliance of organizations and agencies pushing for children’s rights legislation in the country is in Laoag today to spread the advocacy campaign.

Under Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code, it states that rape is committed even without the presence of elements of force, threat, intimidation or fraudulent machinations, as long as the victim is under the age of 12. This crime is known as “statutory rape”, wherein the consent of the victim to engage in sex—even if present or was presumed given—cannot be used as a defense on account of the victim’s age.

Mr. Dongeto explained the current limit of age 12 is far below the international standards.

“This means that children ages 13 to 16 are vulnerable and are not protected by statutory rape clause and thus need to provide evidence in Court that there was no consent in the sexual act done by their abusers to prove that rape was committed,” he explained.

Atty. Ma. Magarita Ardivillia, officer-in-charge of the UNICEF Philippines Child Protection Unit said the age of 12 years old is problematic because a 12-year old will only be in sixth grade and has barely gone through puberty.

“Pegging 12 as the age of consent to sex is not consistent with scientific studies of brain development as well as the physical and emotional maturity,” she added.

Backing this move, Jay Laurence Agonias, a fourth-year communication arts student of Northwestern University expressed gratitude that there are groups who dedicate their time and effort to protect children.

“Anyone can be a victim of rape and it’s alarming that children are the most vulnerable. As a generation born to technical advancement, netizens can help in spreading awareness and support this advocacy,” Ms. Agonias said as she shared the university has an existing lifeline support group for guidance counseling and spiritual healing.

“If you sense that something is wrong, don’t hesitate to report. Be brave and be a hero by saving a life. If you are a victim, be strong and know that there are concerned groups or individuals ready to lift you up,” she ended.