Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (PNA file photo)
MANILA – Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday the government is addressing the immediate concerns of 19 minors in the Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI) found to be in common-law relationships and are suffering from malnutrition.
This was after Remulla met with representatives of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in connection with the Surigao del Norte-based cult.
"We have to look at it as a community with the aim of protecting children from certain practices na di dapat ginagawa (that are not permitted). There are 19 children who are in common-law relationships. We are talking about teenagers 18 years and below who are common-law wives dun sa (in) Socorro," Remulla said in a press briefing.
"Our end goal is to take care of these children. May mga lalake rin na tatlo (there are also three boys) who are in relationships with adults. A lot of the children are malnourished. Hindi maganda ang buhay (They endure poor living conditions) but they have no other choice."
Remulla said more than a hundred social workers have been deployed by the DSWD to the area to handle the situation.
On Monday, SBSI leader Jey Rence Quilario, also known as Senior Agila, and other respondents attended a clarificatory hearing held by the Department of Justice, which would determine whether a full-blown preliminary investigation into the charges against the group's senior members is viable.
In June, complaints for qualified trafficking, kidnapping, and serious illegal detention, violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse law were filed against Quilario and 12 others before the Surigao City Prosecutors Office.
A separate complaint for adultery against another SBSI member and a complaint for obstruction of justice were filed against another leader of the group.
Preliminary investigations related to the Socorro group will be conducted in Manila.
The SBSI is a Surigao del Norte-based people's organization with 3,650 members, 1,587 of whom are believed to be minors. (PNA)
