CHR warns bets vs using minors for political ends

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Special investigator Jess Cañete of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Negros Oriental had issued a stern warning against political candidates to refrain from exploiting minors in their bid to get elected into government office in the May 13 polls.

"These perpetrators may not yet be identified as of now, but later on, if there is enough identification and evidence against them, I will make sure that they will be prosecuted," said Cañete, adding that such act is a violation of Republic Act 7610 or the law for special protection of children against abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

Cañete's warning came after a 14-year-old boy disclosed that he and a companion were paid P50 each about a week ago to distribute a two-page "poison letter" to the public, specifically at the city's public market.

The boy, a parking attendant, told Cañete that, sometime last April 21, two adult males approached him and his companion at the junction of Epifanio Surban and Ma. Christina Streets and then gave them three plastic bags containing folded sheets.

It took them half a day to randomly hand out the papers but still had plenty with them when they proceeded to the Marian Priests Center at the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Compound for lunch being provided by the Franciscan sisters running the feeding program of the Dumaguete Diocese.

Sister Maria, a Franciscan nun, whose attention was called by a volunteer who saw the bundles of paper later, took these papers away from the boys and warned them to stop distributing these to the people.

The boy said he became aware of the contents of the two-page documents only much later. The first page, which apparently was not printed in full, attacked reelectionist Gov. Roel Degamo for his alleged sexual abuses of women, three of whom were named.

The second page was a copy of a case filed against the governor for acts of lasciviousness when he was still a councilor of Siaton, Negros Oriental. The case, which was raised by Degamo's political opponents since last year, was reported to have been dismissed already.

Cañete then issued an appeal to stop using blatant black propaganda in discrediting and damaging the honor and reputation of political opponents. He described the act of distributing the "poison" letters as a desperate act of a candidate just to win the election.

"This is way below the belt, especially if that candidate is confident of winning, and instead of gaining more votes, the people will go the opposite way," he said.

"This also reflects (a candidate's) true personality and character they have that would hurt their political campaign rather than earn the support and votes of the electorate," Cañete said as he also urged for more education and information campaigns, especially for minors, about the May 13 polls.  (FREEMAN)