Aussie pedophile kulong habambuhay
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Ipinahayag ng prosecuting team na may hawak ng kaso ng Australian, na nahaharap sa iba’t ibang kaso, ang hirap na naranasan at suportang natamo bago naaresto ang suspek at kasabwat nito na nahaharap sa kaukulang kaso sa Regional Trial Court dito. Habambuhay na pagkakakulong ang inihatol ng RTC Branch 37 kay Peter Gerard Scully, na nahaharap sa mga kasong child abuse, kidnapping, human trafficking, voyeurism, sexual assault at murder, nitong Hunyo 13. Guilty din siya sa anim na bilang ng qualified trafficking in persons at rape by sexual assault.
"What made it easier for us to prosecute (Scully) is the fact that so many people helped us, like the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and so many NGOs (non-government organizations. They helped us, give tips, especially on other cases and in locating the victims, and they referred the victims to the Witness Protection Program," pagsisiwalat ni Deputy Regional Prosecutor Merlynn Barola-Uy sa isang press conference, na inorganisa ng Multi-Disciplinary Team na binubuo ng mga personnel mula sa Regional Prosecutor's Office, DSWD, City Social Welfare and Development, child psychologists, therapists at NGOs, sa Pearlmont Hotel dito kahapon.
"The difficulty lies in getting the cooperation of the victims and their families, kay (because) feeling nila (they feel) na magastuhan sila o mahasol (they will spent money and will be inconvenient) sila mag atubang sa kaso (facing the case), they would want to do away with prosecuting the offender, considering also they think that this particular person has helped them in a way -- naay napa-eskwela, natagaan kwarta ilang pamilya (some were sent to school, the family had been given money) -- so, it's very difficult to overcome that. But, with the help of our government agencies and nongovernment organizations, we were able to overcome the obstacle. So, we got the full cooperation of the victims and even their families," ani Atty. Uy.
"Ang ilang mga pamilya mismo nag (the family members themselves) undergo counseling sa (at) DSWD and other NGOs na nag (that also) assist," dagdag niya.
"It's a war on all fronts. Dili lamang biktima ang atong tutukan, pati ang pamilya (we did not just focus on the victims, but the family itself), so, they will not be re-victimized. So, we were able to get the full cooperation of the victims; they were able to give a truthful, credible testimony in court. Well prepared because they have undergone therapy, counseling; so, murag dali na lang pud sa (so, it looked like it was easy for) prosecutor to let them tell their stories in court," pahayag ni Uy.
"They were just re-telling the whole ordeal. It was very traumatic for them, but what made it easier for them was because they were prepared psychologically," dagdag ni Uy.
Sinabi niya na kapag direktang iniharap sa korte ang mga biktima nang hindi pinaghandaan, maaaring mauwi ito sa wala at hindi na makapag-testify.
"When it (ang krimen) happened, they were only the four of them -- the two (menor de edad) victims, Scully and Carme Ann Alvarez (misis niyang Pinay). So, we rely heavily on the testimony of the victims themselves," the assistant prosecutor said.