A human rights lawyer has come to the defense of television host Willie Revillame, who has been accused of child abuse in criminal and administrative cases filed before five different government offices.
Attorney Romeo Capulong, president of the Public Interest Law Center said, “I have reviewed the unedited clip and am persuaded that neither Mr. Revillame nor the station had the intent to abuse Jan-jan or any of the child contestants. Intent is a state of mind and nothing in the video shows any intent to degrade, debase or demean the intrinsic worth and dignity of Jan-jan,"
Capulong added that Revillame's case has “grave human rights implications, including the right to due process or the ‘right to be heard’ which is being denied the television host by the government agencies which have already pre-judged him of having committed child abuse."
He raised concerns about public statements of Social Welfare Corazon Soliman and Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales.
He said it is clear from their public pronouncements that they have already pre-judged the incident as an open-and-shut case of child abuse," adding that since his client was accused a crime which carries a heavy penalty of imprisonment “it is incumbent upon both officials to have remained above the fray so as not to raise any specter of bias of partiality."
Reacting to Capulong’s statement, Froilan Grate – who started an online campaign to protest the crying dancing boy incident – said in his email to GMA News Online, “We are saddened by the efforts of Mr. Revillame's camp to once again divert the issue," Grate said.
“Cases have been filed in court to give him the opportunity to answer these charges. We commend and support the various government agencies who promptly acted on our complaints within their mandate. We believe protecting the rights of children is a matter of national interest," he added.
Grate said, “Cases have been filed in court to give him the opportunity to answer these charges. We commend and support the various government agencies who promptly acted on our complaints within their mandate. We believe protecting the rights of children is a matter of national interest." — ELR/VS
