Prosecutors, children win convictions of sex abusers, 1
She healed, recovered and was empowered to fight for justice. She filed her complaint.
IT IS A happy day when I can write about victories and convictions. Prosecutors are fighting hard for child rights and are winning important convictions. Judges, too, believe the testimonies of children with horrifying account of multiple rape and sexual assault by biological fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, and Catholic priests. These are great victories for those who hunger or thirst for justice and have had their fill.
The children endure, survive and find the courage to overcome the fear of rejection, anger and hatred of their abusers and their families when they point a finger and say to the court and the world, “He raped me.” That’s a powerful courageous allegation to make and why would they if it were not true? The wise experienced judges of family courts know and accept these truths.
The amazing survival stories and court cases with dedicated prosecutors and good judges give victory to raped and abused children. Areza (not her real name) is one of them.
When she was eight years old, Areza playing with a rag-doll doll whom she called her sister because she had no family. Her father had died years ago and, abandoned by her mother, Areza was left with her two uncles. The younger Kharlo, 27, began to rape Areza continually and frightened her into silence until she was 14. At 13, her other uncle started to rape her also.
When she was 14, something changed in Areza. The emotional and mental paralysis ended and she told her cousin in Subic. They went to social worker of the town of Subic who sent Areza to an aunt in Castillejos and failed to help Areza bring formal complaints against her uncles.
There, Areza found the social worker in Castillejos and told her ordeal. She was referred to the Preda home for abused children in Sakatihan, Subic.
At the Preda home for abused children, she found the peace and protection and the freedom to tell all that happened to her. She joined the Emotional Release Therapy sessions in the padded therapy room with other girls and poured out her hurt and pain and anger.
She healed, recovered and was empowered to fight for justice. She filed her complaint.
During hearings, the prosecutor presented the evidence strongly and coherently in an intelligent prosecution to the court. Areza testified clearly and directly and passed the strict cross examination. Medical evidence was also presented. The uncle’s only defense was denial.
The long- experienced judge summed up the evidence clearly. Interestingly, her Decision quoted, “Thus in the case of People Vs. Tulagan, it was pronounced that force, threat or intimidation as an element of rape is substituted by “moral ascendency or moral authority.”
The judge found no reasonable doubt whatsoever as to the guilt of the accused uncle and pronounced him guilty. He will spend the rest of his life in prison where he can never abuse more children and repent, do penance and beg God for mercy and forgiveness. Areza has thrived at Preda and found sweet justice, freedom and closure to that terrible six years of rape and abuse, thanks to the diligent prosecutoro.