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*Publicversion

SubmissiontotheCommitteeAgainstTortureinrelationtoitsexaminationoftheThirdPeriodicReportofthePhilippines

ILL-TREATMENTANDTORTUREOFCHILDRENDEPRIVEDOFLIBERTYINTHEPHILIPPINES

57thSessionoftheCommitteeAgainstTorture(CAT)

18April–13May2016

Submittedby:WorldOrganizationAgainstTorture(OMCT)Children’s Legal Rights and Development Center (CLRDC) – member of the SOS-TortureNetwork

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Introduction:

Childrendeprivedoflibertyaremorelikelytosufferfromviolence,abuseandactsoftorture,cruel,inhumananddegradingtreatment.AsrecentlyhighlightedbytheSpecialRapporteuronTorture, even short periods of detention can undermine a child’s physical and psychologicalwell-beingandtheirprotectionrequireshigherstandardsandbroadersafeguards.1

Thisreportpresentsananalysisofthesituationofchildreninconflictwiththelaw(CICL)onthePhilippines,focusingparticularlyoncasesoftortureandill-treatmentinManilaMetroAreaandMindanao.

Duringmonthlyvisitstojuveniledetentioncentres,alsoknownas“holdingcenters”or“housesof hope”, CLRDC and the OMCT have heard testimonies from both victims and officialsconfirmingthepersistenceoftheuseofphysicalandpsychologicalviolence,includingthreats,andcorporalpunishment,againstchildreninprisons,andespeciallyatthetimeofarrestandatpolicestations.

Theviolentactscommittedagainstchildrenareoftenperpetratedbypoliceofficers,Barangayofficers,houseparentsandotherdetainees.Inaddition,conditionsofchilddetentionoftenamountto inhumananddegradingtreatment.Severalofthejuveniledetentionsareovercrowdedanddonotfulfilltheminimumconditionsdeterminedbyinternationalhumanrightslaw.TheseparationofCICLfromotherchildren,suchasrescuedchildrenorstreetchildren is limitedornonexistent.Andseparationbetweenboysandgirlsisalsoveryrestricted.Children are also subject to long periods of confinement in their cells, which are oftenoverpopulated and have little sunlight and no adequate ventilation. Another significantproblemisthelackofaccesstolawyersandthelongperiodsofpreventivedetention.DespitesomeimprovementsinlegislationsuchastheAnti-TortureActandtheJuvenileJusticeLaw,inpractice,localauthoritiesdealingwithchildrenarenotfamiliarwiththeselawsanddonotimplementthem.Forchildrendeprivedoflibertytortureisstillaneverydayreality.ContextandMethodology:The Republic Act 10630 or the Juvenile Justice Law of the Philippines mandates all LocalGovernment Units (LGU) in highly urbanized cities to establish its own Bahay Pag Asa or

1ReportoftheSpecialRapporteuronTortureandothercruel,inhumananddegradingtreatmentorpunishment,JuanE.MendezA/HRC/28/68/5March2015

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“HousesofHope”forChildreninConflictwiththeLaw(CICL).BahayPag-Asaisdefinedasa24-hourchildcaringinstitutionprovidingshort-termresidentialcareforCICL.

The Juvenile Justice law stipulates that a CICL should always be detained in a Youth Centerestablishedby the localgovernment. At thesametime,everyprovinceandhighlyurbanizedcity shall be responsible for building, funding, and operating a Bahay Pag-asa within theirrespective jurisdictions following the standards set by theDepartment of SocialWelfare andDevelopment(DSWD).

Currently, in theNationalCapitalRegion,composedof17cities (Caloocan,LasPiñas,Makati,Malabon, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig,Quezon,San Juan,Taguig,Valenzuela,andPateros), thereareonly twoBahayPagAsawhicharelocatedinMandaluyongandValenzuela.

The other supposedly Bahay Pag-Asa, operates as detention centers or what we also callHoldingCenters,thatarehometoahugenumberofCICL.Theyarethefollowing:ManilaYouthReception Center (MYRC),Molave Youth Homes (MH),Malabon Bahay Sandigan (MBS), andYakapBataHoldingCenter(YBHC).

InthecitieswherethereareNOBahayPagAsanordetentioncentersforCICL,childrencanbedetainedindifferentBureauofJailManagementandPenology(BJMP)jailsnationwide,mixedwithadults,apracticethat is forbiddenby lawbutcontinuestohappenduetothefailureoflocalgovernmentsinestablishingtheirownBahayPag-Asa.

Since2003,CLRDChasbeenconductingmonitoringvisitstodetentioncentersevenpriortothepassageoftheJuvenileJusticelaw.

Howeverforpurposesofthisreport,CLRDCandtheOMCTusedtheinformationfromthelastyears.

In2015and2016wehavevisitedandconsulted:

NameofCenters EstimateNo.ofChildren ChildrenInterviewedMalabonBahaySandigan,MalabonCity

25`` 10

BahayPangarap,ValenzuelaCity

200 50(mostlyfromNavotas)

YakapBataHoldingCenter,CaloocanCity

35to55 45

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HoldingcentersinMetroManilavisitedbyCLRDCfrom2011-2013:

NameofCenters EstimateNo.ofChildren ChildrenInterviewedMolaveYouthHomes

200 60

ManilaYouthReceptionCenter(MYRC)

300 120

HoldingcentersinMindanao(CagayanDeOro)visitedbyCLRDCfrom2011-2013:

NameofCenters EstimateNo.ofChildren ChildrenInterviewedRegionalRehabilitationCenterforYouth

35 5

RehabilitationandReceptionCenter

30 30

RelevantLegislativereforms:

TheAnti-TortureLawof2009

RepublicAct(R.A.9745)or“TheAnti-TortureActof2009”wassignedintolawon10November2009. It was enacted “to fully adhere to the principles and standards on the absolutecondemnation and prohibition of torture as provided for in the 1987 Philippine ConstitutionandvariousinternationalinstrumentstowhichthePhilippinesisaStateparty.”

Thelawpenalizestorture,andothercruel, inhumananddegradingtreatmentorpunishment.Italsoprohibitssecretdetentionplaces,solitaryconfinement,incommunicadoorothersimilarformsofdetention,wheretorturemaybecarriedoutwithimpunity.

R.A.9745 specificallyprovides for thedifferent formsof torture suchasphysical tortureandmental/psychologicaltorture.

Thesaidlawalsorecognizesthevulnerabilityofchildrenaspotentialvictimsoftorture.Thus,torturecommittedagainstchildrenhashigherpenaltythanthatwhenthevictimoftorture isanadult.

Problematic:Todate,therearenoconvictionsforthecrimeoftortureagainstchildren,despiteitswidespreadpracticebysomeofthelawenforcers.Manyproblemsarefacedwhentryingtopresenta case for torture;among themost commondifficultiesare the fearof reprisalsandlack of material evidence, including the lack of an independent medical exam for childrendeprivedofliberty.

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CLRDCandtheOMCThavemadeattemptstofilecasesoftorturecommittedbylawenforcersagainstchildren,but theseattemptswerehinderedbygravethreatsandthe fearof reprisalsfromfamilymembersofthevictims.

Anotherproblem is thatmanyof the local authorities thatdealwith childrenwhen they arearresteddonothaveenoughknowledgeaboutthelawandoftenevenifthereistheintentiontopursueacasewereaStateagenthascommittedviolenceagainstachild, it isdoneunderother“lessserious”legalnormssuchas“childabuse”.

Recommendations:

TheStateshouldsystematicallyinvestigateallallegationsoftortureandotherformsofill-treatment, prosecute and punish law enforcement officers responsible for suchabusesagainstchildrendeprivedofliberty.

Establish an independent, effective, confidential and child-friendly mechanism tofacilitate the submission of complaints by victims of torture and ill-treatment to thecompetentandindependentauthoritiesandtoensureinpracticethatcomplainantsareprotected against any reprisal as a consequence of their complaint or any evidencegiven.

AllpublicauthoritiesdealingwithCICL,suchaspoliceofficers,socialworkers,Barangayofficers,shouldreceiveadequatetrainingintheanti-torturelawandinstructedonhowtoproceedwhenfacingallegationsoftortureandill-treatment.

Medicalexaminationofchildrendeprivedoflibertyshouldbedonebyadoctorthatisnot affiliated to the police to ensure the independency of the diagnostic. ChildrenshouldbereexaminedwhenarrivingtoHoldingCenterstodocumentany injuriesthatmighthavehappenedduringtheirperiodinpolicestationsandBarangays.

TheNationalCommissiononHumanRightsshouldpubliclyreporthowtheyhaveusedthebudgetfortheimplementationoftheAnti-TortureLaw.

NationalPreventiveMechanism(NPM)

According to its treaty obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention againstTorture(OPCAT)thePhilippinesshouldhavedesignatedtheirNPMbeforeMay2013.However,todate,thebillisstillbeingevaluatedinCongressandwiththeupcomingelectionsitwillhavetoberefilledduringthenewGovernment.

TheSubcommitteeforthePreventionofTorture(SPT)visitedthecountryforthefirsttimelastyear and stressed the importance of the Philippines enacting a law to establish an effectivenationalindependentmonitoringbody.

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The new proposal calls for the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to act as a NPM.We havereceivedinformationthattheHRChascreatedaninterim-NPMuntilthebillpasses.However,toourknowledge,onlycivilsocietyorganizationsconduct independentmonitoringof juveniledetentioncentres.

Recommendation:

TheGovernmentofthePhilippinesshouldfinalizethecreationandestablishmentofaNational Preventive Mechanism with a child rights dimension and appropriatebudgetaryallocation.Additionalmeasurestoenhancethepreventionoftortureandill-treatment incustodyshouldbetaken. Inthisregard individualprivate interviewswithdetainedchildrenandprisonstaffandmonitoringofprisonsshouldbefacilitatedduringvisitsbyindependentinternationalbodiesandNGOs.

TheJuvenileJusticeLaw

ThecurrentJuvenileJusticeLaw(JJlaw)providesthat15years-oldandunderareexemptfromcriminal liability and those above 15 (plus one day) and below 18 years of age are exemptunlesstheyactwithdiscernment.Discernmentisdefinedasthementalcapacitytounderstandthe difference between right and wrong and its consequences. A CICL who is 15 years oryounger may be held civilly liable and has to undergo an intervention program, same aschildrenthatareabove15yearsandbelow18yearsandactedwithoutdiscernment.

Childrenabove15andbelow18yearsoldwhohavecommittedacrime–withdiscernment–punishablewithnotmore than12 years of imprisonment shall undergodiversion.Detentionshould only be considered as a last resort and only for the shortest appropriate period. Itshouldalwaysbeinyouthdetentionhomes.

Problematic: Despite the child-friendly legal provisions, CLRDC and OMCT records showotherwise. Deprivation of liberty seems to be the first option for Social Workers (whodetermine if a child should go to a Holding Center). We have met children who had NOTcommitted any crime but were deprived of liberty for being “a trouble child”, due to therequest of parents, or for status violations such as violation of curfew. Those are all illegaldetentions, but since social workers don’t have adequate training, and judges and publicattorneysareoverwhelmedwithcasesitisaverycommonsceneonthePhilippines.

TheRepublicAct10630 (formerlyR.A.9344or the Juvenile JusticeandWelfareActof2006)prohibitsthetortureorilltreatmentofchildren-in-conflictwiththelaw(CICL).Italsomandateslaw enforcers to immediately turn over children to the nearest office of the Department ofSocialServiceandDevelopment(DSWD)fortheircustodyandcorrespondingproperaction.Problematic:Socialworkershave littletrainingandabigworkload,which isveryproblematicwhentheyaretheonestodecidewhetherachildisgoingtobedeprivedofliberty.Itisseldom

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thatsocialworkersscreenchildrenforpossibletortureorilltreatment.Inmanyinstances,thechildrenalsooptnottospeakoftheirordeal,astheyfearthatauthoritiescangetbackatthemandmakethemstaylongerinconfinementaspunishment.TheJuvenileJusticeandWelfareActalsoprohibittheconfinementofchildoffendersinregularjailsandcalledfortheirseparationfromadultdetainees.However,manyCICLareconfinedinso-called government-run “youth homes” that are like the regular detention places as thechildrenarekeptbehindbarswithvery limitedspaceorfacilitiestoengageindevelopmentalactivities.InadditionwehavenoticedthatsomejudgesdealingwithCICLarealsonotfamiliarwiththenew Juvenile Justice Law. This can be seen from the high number of childrenwho reach 18years-old while deprived of liberty and are immediately transferred to adult prisons (eventhoughtthismeasureisillegalunderthenewJJlaw).Wehavedocumentedcaseswherethese18year-oldsundergosevereviolencefromadultdetaineesandsuffer fromlife longtraumas,becausethejudgeinchargeoftheircaseswasnotfamiliarwiththelaw.Recommendations:

AllpublicauthoritiesdealingwithCICL,suchaspoliceofficers,socialworkers,Barangayofficers, and particularly family court judges should receive adequate training in theJuvenileJusticeLawandinternationalchildrightsandtorturepreventionstandards.

The Juvenile Justice system should be specializedwithwell-trained judges designatedparticularlyforthecasesofchildreninconflictwiththelaw.Newjuvenilejudgesshouldalsobeappointedtodealwiththegreatamountofcasesandreducetheperiodofpre-trialdetention.

Nochildshouldbedeprivedof libertywithoutareasonprescribed in lawandwithouthaving itsdueprocess respect.Everychildaccusedofcommittingan infraction that ispunishable with deprivation of liberty should have access to a lawyer and be sentimmediatelytoseeaspecializedjudgeinachild-friendlycourt.

Child friendly justice is accessible, adapted and focused on the needs of the child. Astudyandsensibilizationworkshouldbedone,togetherwithjuvenilejudgesandotheractors of the juvenile justice system in all jurisdictions of the Philippines in order tocreateasystemthatisadequatetoeachcommunity.

Deprivation of liberty should be a measure of last resort. The State must createalternativemeasuresfocusedonrehabilitationandreintegrationtothecommunity.

Children without familymust receive adequate social support, shelter and education

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andbeheldseparatelyfromchildreninconflictwiththelaw.

MinimumAgeofCriminalResponsibility

AlthoughtheJuvenileJusticeLawsettlestheminimumageofcriminalresponsibility(MACR)to15yearsold(aspreviouslynoted),currently,thereisapendingbill inCongressnamedHouseBill922proposingtolowertheMACRfrom15to9.TheproposedbilliscontrarytotheprovisionoftheUNConventionontheRightsoftheChildtowhich thePhilippineshas ratifiedandvowedtocomply.TheConcludingObservationsof theUN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2009 lauded the Philippines for increasing itsMACRfrom9to15yearsoldthroughtheenactmentoftheJuvenileJusticeWelfareAct.2TheUNCRCCommitteealsoemphasizedthatoncetheMACRhasbeenincreased,itshouldnotbesubsequentlylowered.AccordingtotheCRC,foranine-year-oldchild, imprisonment inacorrectional institution isaformof‘cruel,inhuman,degradingtreatmentorpunishment.’3TheCommitteeAgainstTorturehasalsoindifferentoccasionsopposedtothereductionofMACR.A direct result of this initiative if it passes is the overcrowding of juvenile centers withvulnerablechildren,facilitatingactsoftortureandill-treatment.

Recommendation:

Ensure that theminimumageof criminal responsibility is not reduced, in accordancewithinternationalstandards.

TortureandIll-treatmentofchildrendeprivedofliberty

FromMarch2015 toFebruary2016,CLRDCand theOMCThavedocumentednineteen (19) 4casesoftortureandill-treatmentcommittedagainstChildreninConflictwiththeLaw(CICL)inManilaMetroArea.ThemajorityofcaseshappenedduringarrestandpriortotheturnovertoholdingcentersforCICL.

2UNCommitteeontheRightsoftheChild(CRC),ConsiderationofreportssubmittedbyStatespartiesunderarticle44oftheConvention:ConventionontheRightsoftheChild:concludingobservations:thePhilippines,22October2009,CRC/C/PHL/CO/3-4,availableat:http://www.refworld.org/docid/4ae9a11d0.html[accessed29March2015]3Article40,Id.4Thenumberofcasesdoesnotreflecttheactualamountofchildrenwhosufferedviolenceduringthisperiod.ThoseareonlythechildrenthatwewereabletoindividuallyinterviewandwhohaveagreedtohavetheirnamessenttotheCommittee.Forthispurposewehaveattachedaconfidentiallisttothisreportandweareavailabletoprovidefurtherinformationoneachcase.

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SpecificactsofviolencecommittedagainsttheCICLarebeatings,punching,kicking,hittingwithrifle,electricshock, tighthandcuffingandsubmersionofhead inwater. ThemajorityofCICLwe have documented have committed minor offenses, mostly thefts and economic crimes.Someofthemaredetainedforstealingfood.

Former children in conflict with the law mentioned that in some detention centres policeofficersarecalledtobeatchildreninaqueue.Whenthishappenspolicetendstoremovetheirnametag,sochildrencannotidentifythem.Inothercentreschildrenarethreatenedtobesentforoneortwoweeksinanadultprison.

MV’sCase–15years-old

MVwasarrestedinFebruary2015forstealingamobilephone.WemethimoneyearlaterinMalabonHoldingCenter.HewasarrestedbythelocalpoliceandtakentotheMalabonBayanPoliceStationwerehewaselectrocutedforthepurposeofinterrogation.Policeofficersmadehimhold intoa steelbar and if he fell hewaselectrocuted.He fell a coupleof times.Otherchildrenwhohavepassedthroughthispolicestationhavemadesimilarallegations.

OnMV’scase,hisfamilywantedtopresscharges,butwasthreatenedbyapoliceofficer.

JP’sCase–17year-old

LastMarch2016,duringaOMCTmissiontothecountry,welearnedaboutthecaseofJP,a17yearsold,whowasdetainedatYakapBataHoldingCenterinJanuary2015forallegedlystealingabicycle.UponhisturnovertoYakapBataHoldingCenter(YBHC)inCaloocanCity,heasalltheotherchildrenthere,wasnotallowedto“makenoise”.Talking,playing,singingwasforbiddenaccordingtothechildrenweinterviewed.

On March 4, 2016, one week before our visit, we were informed that he strongly andrepeatedlybangedhisheadonthewallandagainstthefloor.Thechildrenthatwereinthecellwithhimmentionedthathewas“justbored”.Theconditionsofdetention,thelackofactivitiesinthecenter,plustheadditionalstruggleofnotbeingabletoevenplayhadaffectedhismentalhealth.

Accordingtotestimonies,thehouseparents(prisonstaff)tiedhimup“likeapig”andhewaslatertransferredtotheNationalCenterforMentalHealth.

JPhadclaimedhisinnocencesincethebeginningandwaswaitingforasentenceformorethanoneyearwhentheincidenthappened.Accordingtothechildrenwhosharedthecellwithhimhehadnotshowedanysignalsofmentalproblemsbeforethisincident.

TheNokiaMobileCase

InFebruary2016,X,14yearsofage,wasaccusedofstealingamobilephone.Forsuchcrime,Xwasarrestedbylocalpeopleandalmostbeatentodeath.TheBarangayarrestingofficerswho

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sawtheincidentsilentlywatchedandonlyintervenedafterthechildhadalmostcollapsed.Thechilddidn’treceiveanymedicalcareandwasbroughttothepolicestationandtransferredtoaholdingcenterforCICL.

ThecaseofChocolate

Zisa15yearoldgirlandonlyfinishedgrade5.ShewastraffickedfromMindanaotoManila.HerparentswereluredbythetraffickersthattheywouldprovideZajobasawaitressinnearbyMindanaoarea.Duetoextremepoverty,Z’sparentsagreedtolethergo.Itwasherfirsttimeaway fromher family and shedid not have any communicationswithher parents. ShewasforcedtoworkadomestichelperinTaguigCity,MetroManila,withoutanysalary.OneSundaywhen her employers were not at home, she went to a nearby grocery store and saw achocolate.Shehadnevertastedthattypeofchocolateandwasveryhungry,soshetookit.Aguard sawher andbroughther to thepolice station. Zwasdetainedat YakapBataHoldingCenterforoneyear.Afterreleaseshewastransferredtoanorphanage.

Inchilddetentioncenters,younggirlswhoarevictimsofseriouscrimessuchassexualabuse,exploitation and human trafficking are locked up in centers all over metro Manila andelsewhere.Theyarenottreatedasvictimsofthecrimescommittedagainstthem,butseenaschildreninconflictwiththelaw.

TheYakapBataHoldingCenterInourlastvisitinMarch2016toYBHCtherewere39children,from8to19years-old.Thecenterhas three«dorms» that look likecages.Thedormshaveno furnitureatall, andchildrensleepdirectlyonthefloor.AhalfblockedwindowprovidestheonlysunlightandventilationintheCentreaccessibletochildren.Thereisastrongsmellofurinewhenweenterthecenter,duetothelittleventilationandpoorsanitaryconditions.Childrenneverleavethatspace.Thereisnopatiooranotherroomwithsunlight.Foodisalsoconsideredinsufficientandofbadquality.Theadministratorsofthecentercitedsecurityreasonsforcoveringthewindowandarenowlooking forward to move to a more spacious building with better facilities. Children havereported also frequent beatings and punching from certain staff members (house parents).Noneofthoseallegationshavebeeninvestigated.Someoftheconditionsinthecenterare:

• NobedNORmattressNORmatttosleepon• Nosheets,pilloworblanket• Spoonandforkareprohibited

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• Thefloorisfilthy,andgarbageisaccumulatedbetweenthebarsandthewallononesideofthecell

• Thecellsarepoorlylight,andonlyhaveanarrow30cmtalland1.20mwideopeningallowingnaturallightin

• InthecornerofcellAthatisadjacenttocellB,thereisatinyspace,withnodoor,thatcontainsatinytoiletwithnolidormechanismtoflush.Thereisarustyfaucetnexttothetoilet

• Onthefloor in frontof this ‘comfort room’ isanoldbluedisheveledanddamprag.Sittingdirectlyonthe ledgeto this tinyand filthy ‘comfort room’ isasmallanddirtstainedpieceofsoap,andtheoneplasticcuptobesharedbyallthechildren

• Thechildrendrinkthewaterthatcomesoutoftherustyfaucetrightnexttothetoilet• THEY share a piece of toothbrush and a piece of soap, which contributes to the

proliferationofskindiseases• Therearenotowelsandchildrenmustwashtheirownclothesandhangthingstodry

whereverpossiblesuchasthroughthecellbarsandonstringshangingacrossthecell.• Cellsarefrequentlyovercrowded

Recommendations:

Safeguardsforthepreventionoftortureandill-treatmentandchild-friendlycomplaintmechanismsshouldbeinplaceinallplacesofdeprivationoflibertyofchildren.

EnsurethatthejuvenilejusticesystemisinlinewithinternationalstandardssuchastheUnitedNationsGuidelinesforthePreventionof JuvenileDelinquency(RiyadhGuidelines)andtheUnitedNationsStandardMinimumRulesfortheAdministrationofJuvenileJustice(BeijingRules).

Victims, their families,witnesses,andotherswho interveneon theirbehalf shouldbeprotectedatalltimesagainstretaliationforclaimingtheirlegitimaterighttoobtainredressandaccountabilityforpastviolations.

Children deprived of liberty should be entitled to socio-pedagogical and educationalactivities. Children should also beprovidedwith psychological support during their periodofconfinementandareintegrationplanfortheirrelease.

Urgent stepsmust be taken to ensure that the dorms ofminors are clean and safe.Ventilationandsunlightshouldalsobeimproved.

Prisonofficials (houseparents) should reduce thenumberofhoursof confinement inthe dormitory. Centers that don’t have adequate space for open-air activities should beimmediatelyclosedandchildrentransferredtoanotherfacility.

Thequantity andqualityof food rations inplacesofdeprivationof libertyof children

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needtobesufficientandadequatetotheirageandneedsofhumanbeingindevelopment.

EnsurethatconditionsofdetentioninjuveniledetentioncentresareconsistentwiththeConventionandotherinternationalhumanrightsstandards,andthatchildreninthesecentresreceivecare,protectionandeducation.

SecretPlacesofDetention

DespitetheprohibitionunderthePhilippineConstitutionandtheAntiTortureLawoftheuseofsecretdetentionfacilities,unofficialandsecretplacesofdetentioncontinuetoexist.Wehavereceived information, for example, that the Malabon Bayan Police Station maintains anisolation/secretdetentionsixfeetunderground(underabridge)besidetheriver.

CICLandotherallegedoffendershavebeenputinthisareaandheldincommunicado.OneCICLdescribed this isolation as total darkness, the size of a refrigerator, heavily lockedwith steelbars.

UndertheAnti-Torturelaw,thePhilippineNationalPolice(PNP)mustregularlyupdatethelistofdetentionfacilitiesandthedetailsaboutdetainees.TheCommissiononHumanRights(CHR)is also mandated to conduct visit to detention places. In the situation of CICL, to ourknowledge,theCHRhasnotconductedvisitstoholdingcentersyet.

Suspectedchildoffenderswhohavebeenbroughttopolicestationsorofficesofthebarangaytanod5 belong to the population-at-risk of being tortured but are hardly given attention byauthorities.Accordingtotheinformationwehavereceivedalmostalloftheminors(between11 to 18 years old) have complained of being ill-treated by authorities for their allegedinfractionsofthelaw.Electrocution,systematicbeating,hittingwithhardobjectonthesoleoftheirfeet,threatsofdeath, and other forms of verbal abuse are among the kind of violence that have beendocumentedbytheOMCTandCLRDC.Recommendations:

Allsecretplacesofdetentionshouldbeimmediatelyclosedandpoliceofficers involvedinthispracticebroughtpromptlytojustice.

5 A barangay tanod, also known as a barangay police officer -- and sometimes as BPSO (which can stand for barangay peace and security officer, barangay peacekeeping and security officer, or barangay police safety officer) -- is the lowest level of law enforcement officer in the Philippines. He is a watchman for a barangay who is supervised by the barangay chairperson (head of the smallest geo-political administrative unit in the Philippine) and performs a variety of police functions. According to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), tanods are "frontliners in the preparation and response to any type of atrocities, public disorders, emergencies and even disasters or man-made calamities that threaten peace and order and public safety”.

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An independent investigationmustbeconducted inMalabonBayanPoliceStation forthe closure of its secret detention facility. All persons involved should be immediatelysuspendedfromdutyforthedurationoftheinvestigation,particularlyifthereisariskthattheinvestigationwillbeobstructed.

Childrenandothervictimsofincommunicadodetention,tortureandill-treatment,mustbe provided the right to redress. Including adequate compensation and the fullest possiblerehabilitationadequatetotheirageandnecessity.

Allcredibleallegationsoftortureand ill-treatmentmustbethoroughlyand impartiallyinvestigatedinaccordancewithinternationalstandards,andperpetratorsbroughtpromptlytojustice.AccesstoLawyersandLongPeriodsofPre-trialdetention

InthePhilippines,theoretically,everychilddeprivedoflibertyhaslegalcounselingprovidebythePublicAttorney’sOffice(PAO).InrealitychildrenrarelyhaveinformationabouttheircasesandonlymeetthePAOlawyerduringtrial.InCaloocan,Malabon,NavotasandManilacities,toourknowledge,PAOlawyershavenevervisitedtheHoldingCenters;theyhaveneverseenthesituationofCICLandrarelyattemptedtoprovidetotheCICLthebenefitofaDiversionProgramundertheJuvenileJusticeLaw.Children can be detained without trial for more than one year, for minor crimes, such asstealing food.The lackofaspecialized juvenilesystemalsocontributes for the lengthofPre-trialdetention.

A lawyershouldbesystematicallydesignatedby theState forchildren inconflictwiththe law from the moment of arrest and throughout the duration of the procedure.Childrenareentitledtobeinformedabouttheircasesandtheirrightsinachild-friendlyway.

Pre-trial detention should be used only as a measure of last resort, in particular forchildren.Inthatregard,theStatepartyshouldconsideralternativemeasurestoitsuseand ensure that the decisions imposing pre-trial detention are based on objectivecriteria and supporting facts. It should also develop clear rules for the treatment ofchildreninpolicecustodyandmonitortheeffectiveimplementationinpracticeoftheserules.

*Recommendations made by former Children in Conflict with the Law to the CommitteeAgainstTortureandtheGovernmentofthePhilippines

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DuringthemakingofthisreporttheOMCTandCLRDCconductedachild-friendlyconsultationwith formerchildren inconflictwith the law.Thesechildrenhavebeendeprivedof liberty indifferentHoldingCentersandexperiencedviolenceandtrauma.Theirrecommendationsare:

Dormsshouldbelikeinahouse,withabedtosleep Houseparentsshouldbetrainedoncaregiving Eachchildshouldreceiveitsownhygienekit Foodneedstobeofbetterqualityandinhigherquantity Spankingandphysicalabusebyhouseparentsandotherstaffshouldbeforbidden Childrenshouldhaveregularactivities Centersshouldhaveasportsfacilitywithspaceforbasketballandsoccer Childrenmusthavetherighttoknowwhatishappeningintheirowncaseandmeetwithalawyer

ChildrenmusthavetherighttoamedicalexambyadoctorthatisnotapoliceofficerConclusion:The Philippines has greatly improved in terms of legislation since its last review by theCommitteeAgainstTorture.However,newlegislationisnotenoughtoprotectchildren.Localauthoritiesneedtohavethemeanstoimplementthislegislationandattheveryleasttobeawareofitsexistence.TheOMCTandCLRDChavefrequentlymetpublicofficialswhosimplydon’tknowthattheiractionsareillegal.Socialworkerswhohavestatedthatputtingachildinprisonfor“learningpurposes”isacceptable.Inothercases,authoritiesdoknowthattheyarecommittingtorture,butwon’tchangetheirpracticesincethereisnoaccountability.TheStateof thePhilippinesclaimed itdoesnothave“official reportson incidentsof torture,inhumananddegrading treatmentofchildren indetention.” Maybe that isbecausechildrenare too afraid to report, or because there is no independent monitoring of the juveniledetention centres. If impunity is not addressed, torturewill remain a culturewithin the lawenforcementinstitutionandthemostvulnerablewillcontinuetosuffer.

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Thisdocumenthasbeenproducedwiththefinancial assistance of the European Union. Thecontentsofthisdocumentarethesoleresponsibilityof the OMCT and can under no circumstances beregarded as reflecting thepositionof the EuropeanUnion.