MANILA: Following the recent death of toddler John Earl, whose mother is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), President Rodrigo Duterte has condemned the rising cases of child abuse, saying that he will look into the case when he will return from Peru.
Duterte has expressed his concern over the rising cases of child-abuse, sexual exploitation and crime against women, reported Sun Star.
The president reportedly said he will talk to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) when he returns from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit 2016 in Lima, Peru. “I will talk to DSWD when I come back,” he said. “I might (have) really overlooked these things.”
Duterte reportedly cited the case of the two-year-old boy who was battered by the cousin of his mother who is an OFW.
“This is really disturbing for human being who cannot defend himself to die in a brutal manner through negligence. We’ll have to do something,” Duterte was quoted as saying.
The President reportedly expressed his apprehension towards OFWs who risk their lives and work hard to provide the needs of their family only to find out that the loved ones they left are dead.
“Alam mo marami yan, yong mga anak iniiwan lang sa mga kapatid pinsan and they work their ass to death tapos pagdating dito [ito ang madadatnan nila] (You know, many OFWs left their children under the custody of their sibling or cousin and they work their ass to death, and then this is what they will arrive at),” he reportedly said, adding that he needs to create a balance to return their hard work.
Duterte vowed to improve the country to make the OFWs come home without compromising their families, reported Sun Star.
