BY FR. SHAY CULLEN
HERE IS another dramatic story of a nine-year old child (we will call her Ariela) betrayed by her mother and grandmother when she was sexually abused by her step-grandfather in the grandmother’s sari-sari store in Santa Cruz, Zambales.
Young children, when supported and empowered, can have the resilience and courage to stand up for themselves and protest against being abused and convict their abusers.
Ariela is one of those brave children. Her parents broke-up when she was younger and when her mother took another live-in partner, she sent Uriel, then only seven years old, to live with her grandmother in Santa Cruz, Zambales with the latter’s live-in partner, Gerardo. Ariela called him Daddy Uniko.
When her grandmother Analiza went to the market, Daddy Uniko undressed Uriel and sexually abused her.
This happened several times and Ariela was really scared. Gerardo threatened Ariela, telling her that he will kill her step-sisters if she told anybody.
Ariela complained to her grandmother about the abuse but was told to tell no one and keep it a secret. Her biological mother heard about it but she, too, did nothing and kept it a secret.
These adults – the mother and grandmother of Ariela – just to get the financial support of the dominating male, allows him to sexually abuse a nine-year-old. They are traffickers and should be brought to justice.
It seemed there was no hope for Ariela like thousands of child-victims that are abused and have no one to trust and tell and nowhere to go to escape the abuse.
Preda foundation is open to accept all abuse victims we just need to know about the abuse and we will rescue, protect and heal the child.
Her father came to visit Ariela and took her to Jollibee with her relatives. There, she told the story of abuse and her father brought charges against Gerardo. Ariela was referred to the protection and care of Preda home where she became stronger and overcame her fear.
She was able to testify clearly in the court also of Judge Maribel Mariano-Beltran. Soon after, she was reintegrated to her mother. There, she was subjected to verbal and psychological abuse and forced to recant and withdraw her testimony.
The abuser and the family of Ariela thought they had confounded the child, fooled the Preda social workers and outsmarted the judge. But wise Judge Maribel Mariano-Beltran was having none of it. She reviewed and upheld the original testimony of Ariela and her abuser Gerardo, having no defense but denial.
He was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt in April 2024 and was sentenced to several years in prison. Justice was surely done and Ariela had won her case, the ninth victory for 2024 by the courageous Preda Children. (preda.org)/PN
