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Abalos orders more police efforts as rape turns out to be number one crime in some PH areas
Abalos orders more police efforts as rape turns out to be number one crime in some PH areas
By Chito Chavez
Rape is now the number one crime in some parts of the Philippines, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur’’ Abalos Jr. has disclosed.
“I was surprised na merong lugar na hindi nakawan, hindi cybercrime, kung hindi number one crime is rape (there are places where the number one crime is not robbery, not cybercrime but rape),’’ Abalos said.
With reports on the rising sexual abuse cases against young girls, Abalos ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to exert extra efforts in protecting young women and intensify the implementation of its "Kuwarto ni Nene" program in communities where there were marked increase in sexual abuse cases against young girls.
Abalos explained that the “Kuwarto ni Nene” was a project of the PNP designed to protect young girls and ensure their safety from sexual predators.
“I asked the PNP, we have this program, it’s called Kwarto ni Nene. Where we give out (building) materials para yung mga nagdadalaga, (dapat) may sariling kwarto na. Hinihiwalay na (where the adolescents have their own rooms. They should have separate (rooms),’’ Abalos noted.
Under the program, Abalos noted that the female cops and social workers should pay the teenaged victims regular visits to check on their well-being.
Abalos bared they were also exploring the possibility of issuing a policy urging overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to inform their barangays of their departure.
He stressed that the objective is for the barangay women officers, police and social welfare officials to conduct regular visitations on OFWs’ houses and check on the situation and condition of their children.
The DILG chief stated that the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that 17.5 percent of Filipino women aged 15 to 49 have experienced forms of physical, sexual and emotional violence from their intimate partners.
“The Philippines continues to be the leading Asian country in closing the gender gap according to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index Report by the World Economic Forum,’’ the DILG said.