Nakakasira sa dignidad ng bata, itinuturing na pang-aabuso

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Feb. 21, 2025

Dear Chief Acosta,

Awang-awa ako sa aking mga pamangkin sa tuwing nagsusumbong sila kung papaano sila paluin, sigawan, hampasin, at gawan ng kung anu-ano pa ng aking bayaw. Nang kumprontahin ko silang mag-asawa, dinidisiplina lang diumano nila ang mga bata. Sa tingin ko, labis ang kanilang ginagawa sa kanilang mga anak. Mayroon ba silang pananagutan sa batas? — JP

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Dear JP,

Una sa lahat, ang patakaran ng ating Estado ay magbigay ng espesyal na proteksyon sa mga bata laban sa lahat ng uri ng pang-aabuso, kapabayaan, kalupitan, pagsasamantala, diskriminasyon, at iba pang kahalintulad na kondisyon.

Kaugnay nito, sa kasong XXX vs. People of the Philippines, G.R. No. 268457, ika-22 ng Hulyo 2024, sa panulat ni Hon. Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez, ang pagdidisiplina sa mga bata, kahit na magresulta ito sa pisikal na pinsala, ay hindi awtomatikong katumbas ng pang-aabuso sa bata.  Upang maituring na pang-aabuso, dapat mayroong malinaw na layunin na saktan ang dignidad ng isang bata:

“xxx when the infliction of physical injuries against a minor is done at the spur of the moment or intended to discipline or correct the wrongful behavior of the child, it is imperative that the specific intent to debase, degrade, or demean the intrinsic worth and dignity of the child as a human be established. In the absence of this specific intent, the offender cannot be held liable for child abuse but only for other crimes punishable under the RPC, provided that all the elements of the latter are present.

Ang ‘child abuse’ ay tumutukoy sa pagmamaltrato ng bata, nakaugalian man o hindi.

“Corollarily, under Section 3(b) of Republic Act No. 7610, ‘child abuse’ refers to the maltreatment, whether habitual or not, of the child xxx

Verily, under Section 3(b)(2) of Republic Act No. 7610, child abuse may be committed by deeds or words which debase, degrade, or demean the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being.”

Upang matukoy ang pagkakaroon o kawalan ng partikular na layuning sirain ang dignidad ng bata, maaaring isaalang-alang ang mga pangyayari sa kaso at ang paraan kung paano ginawa ng nagkasala ang kilos na inireklamo – kung ang paggamit ng puwersa ng nagkasala laban sa bata ay marahas o sobra-sobra. Ang nasabing intensyon ay maaari ring makuha mula sa mga hakbang sa pagdidisiplina na ginawa ng nagkasala, kung saan ang mga naturang hakbang ay hindi naaayon o makatwirang tugunan upang itama ang maling pag-uugali ng bata. Ang mga nauugnay na bahagi ng desisyon sa nabanggit na kaso ay ang mga sumusunod:

“xxx to determine the presence or absence of this specific intent, this Court may consider the circumstances of the case and the manner by which the offender committed the act complained of, as when the offender’s use of force against the child was calculated, violent, excessive, or done without any provocation. Such intention can also be derived from the disciplinary measures employed by the offender as when such measures are not commensurate to or reasonable to address or correct the child’s misbehavior.

xxx

The confluence of all these shows that petitioner went overboard in disciplining his children when he inflicted upon them physical injuries due to trivial matters. Hitting AAA several times with a wooden rod embedded with a nail was certainly not commensurate or reasonably necessary to discipline her just because she had not eaten her lunch. In the same vein, petitioner used excessive force when he pulled AAA’s hair, kicked, and hit her head and struck BBB with a dustpan multiple times just because the money saved in their coin banks was lacking. Although petitioner, as a parent, has the right to instill discipline on his minor children, still, the disciplinary measures he employed in this case were excessive, violent, and completely disproportionate to correct the alleged misconduct or misbehavior of his children. His abusive acts may be considered as extreme measures of punishment not commensurate to the discipline of his 12-year-old and 10-year-old children. Given these circumstances, it can be reasonably inferred that his act of laying hands on his children was done with the specific intent to debase, degrade, or demean their intrinsic worth and dignity as human beings.”

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

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.