Ruadhán Jones
Fr Shay Cullen SSC accused the Philippines’ House of Representatives of delaying a bill that would end the practice of “baby brides”.
In the Southeast Asian country, the age of sexual consent is 12 years. The alleged delaying of the Girls not Brides Act of 2019, which would raise the age to 16, speaks of a “a wicked and deviant element in society”, Fr Cullen wrote in Independent Catholic News.
“Recent reports show that many thousands of girl-children as young as 12 years of age worldwide and in the Philippines are being sold off to men 25 years old and older in so-called ‘child marriages’,” the renowned child-rights campaigner said.
Describing the practice as a “cover for paedophilia”, Fr Cullen questioned “why this has been allowed to go on for generations”.
“It speaks of a wicked and deviant element in society, a social evil, where the ruling powers have conspired to keep it that way,” he continued.
“What could be more depraved than to cover up child sexual abuse and try to avoid penalties of strict anti-child abuse laws RA 7610 by declaring that the relationship was approved by ‘marriage’?
“The ruling powers in society decided to stay quiet and to keep it that way for the pleasure of depraved paedophiles in high and low positions of authority.”
Although the Senate passed the 2019 bill, Fr Cullen called the delay in passing a similar bill in the House of Representatives “a big win for the child sexual abusers in power”.
Fr Cullen added that a “practice of denial, cover up and a culture of enforced silence” is placed on the child-victims and on their families “to protect society, institutions, charities, civic organisations, churches and the powerful”.
He finished by calling readers to send his article by email to House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco at speakerlordvelasco@house.gov.ph and lavmarinduqueph@gmail.com and Senate President Vicente C Sotto III at os_sotto@yahoo.com.
“It is our collective responsibility to fight for child rights,” Fr Cullen concluded.