CHR probe into macho-dancing 'child abuse' starts Monday

The Commission on Human Rights will start this Monday its investigation into an incident involving a six-year-old boy gyrating on a television game show in exchange for P10,000, which has turned into a controversy involving the show’s host and his critics, including children’s rights advocates. CHR Chairwoman Loretta Ann Rosales plans to invite the boy as well as television host Willie Revillame to the probe, according to a report on dwIZ radio Saturday afternoon. The report said the CHR may also invite the management and producers of the program “Willing Willie" to give their side of the case. A dancer for money: child abuse? Last March, the CHR issued a press release condemning the “Willing Willie" episode aired March 12, where the six-year-old boy performed a salacious “macho-dancing routine" for P10,000. It said this was “an exploitation of the child’s innocence and (that it) demeans his inherent dignity for entertainment’s sake." The CHR added that the act constitutes child abuse as defined in Section 10 of R.A. No. 7610 or “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act." On the other hand, Rosales and CHR Commissioner Ma. Victoria Cardona said the willingness of Jan-Jan’s parents to expose him, both in private and public, to a humiliating and degrading situation is a case of child abuse. They said the CHR is also deeply alarmed that the abuse suffered by the boy was seen on national television and that its videos are being repeatedly watched by the public, including children. “The Commission will investigate this incident in order to identify the person/s liable and to recommend proper legal actions against them. The Commission will also issue recommendations to relevant private [entities], especially TV5, and public agencies in order to prevent similar incidents from happening again," they said. CBCP weighs in Meanwhile, a Catholic Church official said the controversy should be a reminder to Philippine media to uphold dignity at all times and not to betray the trust the public placed in it. “We need to remember that media’s primary role is to promote social awareness and safeguard the dignity and welfare of the people, especially the youth," said Fr. Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary of the National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (NASSA), the social-action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in an article posted Friday evening on the CBCP news site. “This explicitly entails social responsibility that will proscribe commercially-driven shows that induce people to think and behave in ways that have grievous moral consequence to society," he added. Gariguez said the management and host of the show “brought shame not only to Jan-Jan and his parents but to media practitioners in general." He said the NASSA, chaired by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, supports calls for a further investigation into the controversial episode. Poor folk exploited? “In the same way that freedoms in the media are respected so should media practitioners put utmost regard (for) the dignity and rights of the people whom they serve," he said. Also, he said appropriate intervention and assistance must also be extended to the boy and his family. “Only by examining carefully the many elements that gave rise to the controversy can a clear-sighted assessment of critical issues be looked into and liable persons are meted out the appropriate penalty under our laws on human rights and child protection," he said. Gariguez said mechanisms must also be provided by media networks to ensure that participants in any game shows, “most of whom poor, are not exploited." “We need to install monitoring system to ensure compliance to child protection policy that will best (put) the interest and the welfare of children and that will pursue liabilities of those who dare transgress it," he said.—AY/JV, GMA News