Tinambac LGU: Due process underway amid barangay kagawad's alleged abuses

The local government unit (LGU) of Tinambac, Camarines Sur on Wednesday said the alleged abuses of a barangay official and his sons have already been acted upon even before the viral letter of a young girl to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a statement, the Tinambac LGU stressed that the welfare of the children, women, and people of Tinambac is their “utmost priority” and that it considers the allegations of the 11-year-old letter writer with the “highest degree of seriousness and concern.”

“We respectfully assure the Office of the President and the public that these matters have been acted upon and are currently under proper legal and administrative processes,” said Tinambac mayor Edward Albert Prades, as he thanked Marcos for his “prompt response” and assurance of protection and support for the children.

“The incidents and allegations have already been brought before the appropriate authorities and are now being addressed in the courts and relevant agencies. Due process is underway, where facts may be established and accountability determined in accordance with the law,” he added.

The Tinambac mayor said they recognize “with deep concern, the pain and uncertainty these incidents have caused, especially to the affected children and their families.”

“We acknowledge this with full cooperation and a shared commitment to safeguard our constituents… No child should feel unsafe, and no family should be deprived of basic necessities. These realities weigh heavily on this administration,” Prades said.

“Allegations involving barangay officials have been referred to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for appropriate investigation and possible administrative action,” he added.

Earlier, a 11-year-old girl wrote to the President to report the alleged abuses of a barangay kagawad and his sons, who allegedly raped young girls in their community.

One of the victims was the letter-writer’s elder sister, a person with disability who was allegedly raped twice when she was 22. The letter-writer and her family are living at a shelter run by a Christian non-profit group in Tinambac.

Marcos commented on the letter and said he ordered the deployment of policemen to their community, adding that the heart-felt letter brought him close to tears and made him “very angry.”

Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has ordered the deployment of a specialized police team to the young girl’s community to assist her and to investigate the allegations.

Nartatez later said the barangay kagawad’s son who allegedly sexually abused the letter-writer’s sister has been behind bars since 2023 over concerns of alleged harassment, community safety issues, and a previous rape case.

In its statement, the Tinambac LGU assured that even before the viral letter, the children involved were referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) and that “interventions remain in place to ensure their safety and well-being.”

The Tinambac police and municipal health office conducted a joint visit to the shelter with the DSWD on March 24.

Authorities assessed the conditions at the shelter to ensure that it is complying with all legal, health, and child protection standards, and that “the children are in a safe, properly supervised, and duly authorized environment.”

Prades said he received the most recent communication on March 30 and stressed that actions on the concerns raised by the letter-writer did not begin there, but even during previous administrations.

He assured the public that those responsible for the alleged abuses will be held accountable should the accusations be proven true after due process.

“We will not tolerate any act that undermines the dignity, safety, and rights of our people… The Local Government Unit of Tinambac remains fully committed to cooperating with national authorities and upholding the rule of law,” the Tinambac mayor said.

Prades also urged the public to exercise restraint and refrain from disclosing the identities of the minors, stressing that their dignity and safety must be protected.

“We assure the Office of the President that the situation on the ground is being addressed with urgency, order, and accountability,” he added. — JMA, GMA News