Zamboanga City (Darwin Wee) The more fortunate in life often vividly talk about their childhood moments. But for children in reformatory centers, it's a very different world, one they chose rather not talk about and forget.
One mistake, one crime, and these children forever lost their chances in life and their freedom. Many of them lost or left their families and have been denied their right to attend school and to ultimately savor the joys of simply being a child. These young detainees have found themselves in conflict with law and so ended up in prison.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology regional office in Zamboanga City said 145 children, including five girls, are languishing in jails throughout Western Mindanao. Of these, 10 children come from Zamboanga Sibugay province, 27 from Zamboanga del Sur, 36 from Zamboanga del Norte and the biggest, nearly half of the total or 72 children, are from Zamboanga City.
About 64% or more than six in every 10 children in the reformatory centers are first-time offenders. Only 46 are recidivists -- kids who had been accused once or twice before getting caught for another crime. The official statistics indicate that poverty drove many of them to commit crime. At least 76 children are facing trial for crimes against property, and 33 are accused of theft and 53, for robbery.
One mistake, one crime, and these children forever lost their chances in life and their freedom. Many of them lost or left their families and have been denied their right to attend school and to ultimately savor the joys of simply being a child. These young detainees have found themselves in conflict with law and so ended up in prison.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology regional office in Zamboanga City said 145 children, including five girls, are languishing in jails throughout Western Mindanao. Of these, 10 children come from Zamboanga Sibugay province, 27 from Zamboanga del Sur, 36 from Zamboanga del Norte and the biggest, nearly half of the total or 72 children, are from Zamboanga City.
About 64% or more than six in every 10 children in the reformatory centers are first-time offenders. Only 46 are recidivists -- kids who had been accused once or twice before getting caught for another crime. The official statistics indicate that poverty drove many of them to commit crime. At least 76 children are facing trial for crimes against property, and 33 are accused of theft and 53, for robbery.
Only below 15%, or 25 children, were involved in major crimes, including 11 for homicide, 10 for rape, and 4 for murder. Another 38 are being detained for using or pushing illegal drugs, the second highest crime committed by the children. The 10 other children in the reformatory were charged for violation of a city ordinance against the carrying of deadly weapons and other petty crimes such as streets gang wars.
Jail Officer Ninie Paso said the bulk of theft and robbery cases reflects the difficult family situations of the children. "The problem starts in the family," he said. He added there were only three reformatories in the region that segregate minors from the adults, while the rest simply mix them together, he said.
Jail Officer Ninie Paso said the bulk of theft and robbery cases reflects the difficult family situations of the children. "The problem starts in the family," he said. He added there were only three reformatories in the region that segregate minors from the adults, while the rest simply mix them together, he said.
In Zamboanga City Reformatory Center, all of the 69 male children are all jampacked in one cell and the other three females are mixed with adult women since the center does not have a separate cell for young girls, he said.
"The congestion is acute," he bared. "For months on end, no relatives or family members have visited more than half of the inmates. Majority of them were stowaways, abandoned, orphaned, or street children."
By age group, there are a handful of inmates who are 11 and 12 years old and the majority are 15 to 17 years old.
By age group, there are a handful of inmates who are 11 and 12 years old and the majority are 15 to 17 years old.
"Some of these children have been here for almost five years. There is one inmate who was accused of robbery, he's just 13 years old when he was detained here and he is now 18 years old. It is very unfortunate that these children suffer due to the slow process of justice," one jail custodian lamented.
"We are so overcrowded. We lack cells. We lack beds. And we have no choice but to wait for the decision of the judges who are hearing their cases," he added.
Jail is boredom at its worst. Spending time in the reformatory centers means endless hours standing by the iron grills, neck and ears straining to catch sounds and image from the world outside. Most of these children spend time just sitting or lying idly by their beds, watching time tick off ever so slowly.
Jail is boredom at its worst. Spending time in the reformatory centers means endless hours standing by the iron grills, neck and ears straining to catch sounds and image from the world outside. Most of these children spend time just sitting or lying idly by their beds, watching time tick off ever so slowly.
"We desire so much that these children don't grow old here. As a father myself, I feel the pain whenever I see these children doing nothing in their prime years. I really feel they are just wasting their precious time here," Mr. Paso said.
The children also imitate adult ways while in prison, he said. "The children also have a 'mayor' (a gang leader inside the jail) here. They also serve punishment whenever one of the inmates break rules, which they themselves had made."
On weekdays, the children attend class session three times a week, mostly in the morning. On some afternoons, the children are allowed to play indoor board games. he said.
He said housekeeping chores like cleaning complete their typically long, slow day in prison. The National Government through the jail agency allots only P30 per day as meal allowance per inmate. The amount means the children have to subsist on short rations and nutrition.
For reasons like these, the Consuelo Foundation, a nongovernment organization that oversees the welfare of juvenile delinquents, in collaboration with the city government and private sectors, sponsored this year the premiere in Mindanao of the film "Bunso," which literally means the youngest in the family, in one of the local cinemas. The fund-raising affair was graced by First Daughter Evangeline "Luli" Arroyo.
For reasons like these, the Consuelo Foundation, a nongovernment organization that oversees the welfare of juvenile delinquents, in collaboration with the city government and private sectors, sponsored this year the premiere in Mindanao of the film "Bunso," which literally means the youngest in the family, in one of the local cinemas. The fund-raising affair was graced by First Daughter Evangeline "Luli" Arroyo.
Bunso is a disturbing documentary about three boys namely, Tony, Itsoy and Diosel, aged 11 to 13, who were detained in a jail with adult criminals. The story tells about the immersion of the three children into the world of the prisoners with many poignant moments, about which the boys narrated with innocence and street-smart pain and humor.
"The jail for juvenile delinquents in the country has become the most cruel penalty for children in conflict with law," said Raydean Salvosa, executive director of the Consuelo Foundation. "It is worst especially for first-time offenders, who only committed petty crimes such as robbery, pushed to it by extreme poverty," he noted.
"The jail for juvenile delinquents in the country has become the most cruel penalty for children in conflict with law," said Raydean Salvosa, executive director of the Consuelo Foundation. "It is worst especially for first-time offenders, who only committed petty crimes such as robbery, pushed to it by extreme poverty," he noted.
"Through this film, we are advocating the support of the people in the passage of the Comprehensive Juvenile Justice System Law. This law seeks to ensure humane treatment of children in conflict with law," he explained. According to him this House Bill 3279 has been in the Congress for quite a while.
"The children who are detained must be safe and must be treated in a more humane manner. The children become worse if they are mixed up with adults in the prison. That primarily affects their behavior and character, and worst of all when they get out from the jail they become certified criminals," he warned.
"The children who are detained must be safe and must be treated in a more humane manner. The children become worse if they are mixed up with adults in the prison. That primarily affects their behavior and character, and worst of all when they get out from the jail they become certified criminals," he warned.
Meanwhile, Ms. Arroyo declared, after watching the film, that she would make some interventions to assist lobbyists for the immediate approval of the Comprehensive Juvenile Justice System Law. "It's very difficult to see children in such situations. It's really a matter of getting Congress to act on this House bill," she said.
"This problem is not only the prime concern of the government, nor of social workers and other agencies. It is everyone's responsibility, our responsibility to value children's rights," Mr. Salvosa said.
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