Hindi lahat ng pananakit sa bata ay maituturing na child abuse

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | April 13, 2021

Dear Chief Acosta,

Pilyo ang aking 8 years old na anak. Minsan ay itinulak niya ang kanyang kalaro kaya nasubsob at nabungi ang ngipin nito. Ang tatay ng kanyang kalaro na nakakita sa kanyang ginawa ay pinalo siya gamit ang tsinelas marahil dahil sa galit at bugso ng damdamin. Maaari bang ituring na child abuse ang insidente? – Shasha

Dear Shasha,

Ang inyong katanungan ay tinalakay na ng ating Kagalang-galang na Korte Suprema sa kasong George Bongalon vs. People of the Philippines (G.R. No. 169533, March 20, 2013), na isinulat ni Honorable former Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, kung saan binigyang-linaw na hindi lahat ng pananakit sa bata ay maituturing na child abuse:

“Although we affirm the factual findings of fact by the RTC and the CA to the effect that the petitioner struck Jayson at the back with his hand and slapped Jayson on the face, we disagree with their holding that his acts constituted child abuse within the purview of the above-quoted provisions. The records did not establish beyond reasonable doubt that his laying of hands on Jayson had been intended to debase the "intrinsic worth and dignity" of Jayson as a human being, or that he had thereby intended to humiliate or embarrass Jayson. The records showed the laying of hands on Jayson to have been done at the spur of the moment and in anger, indicative of his being then overwhelmed by his fatherly concern for the personal safety of his own minor daughters who had just suffered harm at the hands of Jayson and Roldan. With the loss of his self-control, he lacked that specific intent to debase, degrade or demean the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being that was so essential in the crime of child abuse.” (Binigyang diin)

Sang-ayon sa nabanggit, hindi lahat ng pananakit sa bata ay maituturing na child abuse. Upang maituring na child abuse ang pananakit sa bata, dapat may layunin ang nanakit na ipahiya o hamakin ang tunay na halaga at karangalan ng bata bilang tao. Dahil ang pagpalo sa inyong anak ay marahil bunga ng galit at bugso ng damdamin ng ama dahil sa sinapit ng kanyang anak, hindi ito maituturing na child abuse dahil wala siyang layunin na ipahiya o hamakin ang tunay na halaga at karangalan ng inyong anak bilang tao, na importanteng elemento ng child abuse.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang inyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa impormasyon na inyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng inyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.