Christian charity says children still illegally imprisoned in Philippines
-01/02/06
Following a monitoring visit last week, Christian charity Jubilee Action has claimed that thousands of children are still illegally imprisoned in the Philippines.
This is despite the Filipino Embassy in the UK declaring the situation as deplorable, and saying that prompt action would be taken in a statement released six months ago.
The issue was highlighted in August 2005 when ITV News broadcast the appalling conditions filmed by reporter Chris Rogers on a trip with Jubilee Action to the Philippines where children are illegally imprisoned in direct contravention of the UNís Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Children held in adult jails in close quarters with criminals convicted of murder, terrorism and sex offences are 5 times as likely to be sexually abused and twice as likely to be beaten compared to children housed in appropriate juvenile detention centres.
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Emma Le Beau, Jubilee Actionís Head of Development, returned to the Philippines last week and revisited the jails.
From an eyewitness point of view she said, ìThere have been token moves forward by the Government but in reality I saw little improvement inside the jails.î
The Juvenile Justice Bill has been passed through the Philippine Senate after 9 years of collecting dust, but this has yet to have an impact on the plight of the children still held in the cells.
The UK Embassy released a statement in August 2005 stating, ìImmediately, the Embassy will bring this particular matter of juvenile maltreatment to the attention of our government authorities, particularly the Department of Justice and our Philippine National Police, so that they can take prompt action with regard to the specific situation portrayed in the news report. This situation is deplorableî however on a return trip to the Philippines last week we found that the situation in the jails is still just as damning.
Following a monitoring visit last week, Christian charity Jubilee Action has claimed that thousands of children are still illegally imprisoned in the Philippines.
This is despite the Filipino Embassy in the UK declaring the situation as deplorable, and saying that prompt action would be taken in a statement released six months ago.
The issue was highlighted in August 2005 when ITV News broadcast the appalling conditions filmed by reporter Chris Rogers on a trip with Jubilee Action to the Philippines where children are illegally imprisoned in direct contravention of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Children held in adult jails in close quarters with criminals convicted of murder, terrorism and sex offences are 5 times as likely to be sexually abused and twice as likely to be beaten compared to children housed in appropriate juvenile detention centres.
Emma Le Beau, Jubilee Action’s Head of Development, returned to the Philippines last week and revisited the jails.
From an eyewitness point of view she said, ‘There have been token moves forward by the Government but in reality I saw little improvement inside the jails.’
The Juvenile Justice Bill has been passed through the Philippine Senate after 9 years of collecting dust, but this has yet to have an impact on the plight of the children still held in the cells.
The UK Embassy released a statement in August 2005 stating, ‘Immediately, the Embassy will bring this particular matter of juvenile maltreatment to the attention of our government authorities, particularly the Department of Justice and our Philippine National Police, so that they can take prompt action with regard to the specific situation portrayed in the news report. This situation is deplorable’ however on a return trip to the Philippines last week we found that the situation in the jails is still just as damning.