The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) through its regional offices has started its own investigations into reported rape of two minors in Lucena City in Quezon and in Naga City in Cebu. Directed by the CHR to conduct their own and parallel probes are its offices in Regions IV-A for the Lucena City case and Region VII for the Naga City case. It acted on reports that the Lucena City police found a naked body of an eight-year-old girl in a vacant lot in Barangay Gulang-Gulang last Mary 31.  It said the police believed that the girl, whose face was plastered and had bruises all over her body, had sexually molested. In Naga City, Cebu, the CHR said that a 16-year-old student was reportedly “gang raped” by at least five of her classmates after attending a debut party last May 25. The CHR said: "This is the third month in a row that the Commission monitored and took cognizance of series of alarming cases of rape mostly involving minors. As the Ombud for Children and Gender, we staunchly denounce the unabated frequency of sexual violence committed against girls and children.” It pointed out that rape and sexual crimes, especially those committed against vulnerable minors, are a grave attack to the dignity, bodily integrity and sexual autonomy, physical and mental health, personal security, freedom, and life of a person. It welcomed the “aggressive efforts” of both Lucena City and Naga City police in investigating and gathering evidence to be able to file charges against the perpetrators. At the same time, the CHR lauded the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for providing psychosocial support to the surviving victim in Naga City and hoped that both families of the victims are also receiving the necessary social, financial, and psychological assistance. "Aside from law enforcement measures, we continue to call for strengthened programs and campaigns that will create a culture of respect and care for women and children and to help eliminate discrimination and misogyny," the CHR said. "It is equally essential that communities are capacitated in helping to create safe spaces and to participate in measures that prevent the re-occurrence of sexual violence towards these vulnerable groups," it also said.