Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday has formed a task force to investigate on the reported use of a minor by Caloocan policemen allegedly to rob a house they raided last Sept. 7.
Aguirre said that the Department of Justice task force on child protection has been ordered to probe the allegation against the 13 Caloocan policemen involved in the raid on house of Gina Erobas where they ordered a child to steal some P26,000 worth of valuables.
“Part of my directive is for the DOJ Task Force to file the necessary charges against the responsible persons who have committed any act which is tantamount to child abuse,” the DOJ chief said, in a statement.
“Evidently, any act which inflicts physical or psychological injury, cruelty to or the neglect, sexual abuse of, or which exploits, a child is child abuse. Cases of child abuse should be punished to the full extent of the law,” he added.
Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza has called on the DOJ to pursue cases under Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act” against the policemen involved in the operation.
The lawmaker also called on the Philippine National Police administration to dismiss them from service.
Close-circuit television footages showed the policemen robbing the house using a minor.
The policemen were not in uniform and did not have a search warrant when they raided the house of Erobas. They also did not file a spot report on the raid.