‘Lost children’ get redemption through art, theater
Credit to Author: GLEE JALEA| Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2019 16:22:30 +0000
Last of three parts
Despite the many shortcomings and failures of the criminal justice system, it cannot be denied that a reformed life is a new life for everyone, especially for young people who once got lost in the way.
The Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) in Culiat, Quezon City boosts youth participation by urging children with a history of criminal offenses to engage in art and theater as means of personal reformation.
A year after he was released by the Molave Youth Home, 18-year-old John Carlo Gambito became active in short plays under Anak Teatro, a village-based theater program for children in conflict with the law, children at risk, and children seeking protection and support from the government.
Gambito stayed in Molave for 10 days while his illegal drug case was being processed by the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court.
“April po iyon ng madaling araw. Lumabas kami ng mga kaibigan ko para tumambay. May isang lalaking dumaan sa tapat namin. Tapos nung inabot sa amin, isang wallet.
Pagkakuha ko na, biglang umalis po ‘yung lalaki tapos ilang minuto lang po may mga dumating na naka-motor na naka-civilian. ‘Di namin alam mga pulis po tapos biglang huminto sa tapat namin. Kinapkapan kami,” Gambito told The Manila Times. (It was April, before dawn last year. I went outside to hang out with my frie nds. Suddenly, a guy stopped by in front of us and gave us a wallet. When he handed it to me, he immediately left, and a few minutes after, some men in civilian clothes arrived. We did not know that they were police officers. They frisked us.)
“Pagkakuha sa amin ng wallet, binuksan po, laman na pala nu’n drugs. Parang na-set up po kami. Tapos dinala kami sa police station, tinanong sa amin kung kanino ba `yun. Sinasabi ko `di naman sa akin `yun (When they got the wallet and opened it, it contained drugs. We were set up. We were brought to the police station and they asked us who owned the drugs. I kept on saying that it was not mine),” he added.
Gambito had to stay in Molave until the local court proved his innocence and turned him over to Barangay Culiat to undergo “diversion” programs, which include theater work and youth seminars.
“Gumagawa po kami ng mga bulaklak sa play, nagbabasa ng libro tungkol sa mga babaeng inaabuso, mga kasong nilalabag ng bata. Minsan po ako po ‘yung rapist na matanda sa kwento. Sa huli, nagbibigay ng mensahe bakit hindi po dapat maging ganun (We would make flower decorations as part of the production’s backdrop, we would read about cases of women who were abused, children who violated laws. I would usually take the role of the ‘bad man’ — a rapist or a snatcher. Then I would explain to the audience why it is wrong to be one),” he added.
Eighteen-year-old Jemuel Ditalo was also thankful for having gone through the same thing in Molave.
“Nasa huli talaga ang pagsisisi. [Nagbago] na po ako. Naging masipag ako. Natanggal ang pagiging mahiyain ko. At umiiwas na rin sa gulo (It’s true that regret comes only when it is too late. I have changed. I became industrious. I am not shy anymore. And I stay away from trouble now),” said Ditalo, who stayed in Molave for a month because of a case of physical assault.
“Dati po pala-absent ako, tapos may niresbakan kami, pero ibang tao po `yung nabugbog namin. Hiyang-hiya po ako sa magulang ko. `Yung tatay ko po sa maintenance lang, `yung nanay ko naman housewife (Before, I was always absent in class. I helped a friend to get back at someone, but we punched the wrong person. I felt ashamed and sorry for my parents. My father is only a maintenance worker, and my mother is a housewife),” Ditalo said.
BCPC head Cristina Bernardino said Barangay Culiat recognizes the need for survival, development, participation, and restorative justice to protect children who were once involved in crimes.
“Culiat is among the villages with the most active youth development task force representatives,” Bernardino said, with youth leaders coming from the Muslim Compound, Purok 1-A, Purok 3, Forestry, Palayan and Metro Heights Compound.
Children of BCPC’S Anak Teatro and Batuta Teatro are represented by not only the CICL sector, but also persons with disability (PWD), the Muslim community and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community to enhance youth participation in art activities in the area.
Since 2015, chosen children had performed in different areas of Quezon City, school events, churches, organizations, and even big events such as the 26th National Children’s Month Celebration and the launching of the Philippine plan of action to end violence against children with the United Nations Children’s Fund held last year, Bernardino added.
Now in Grades 11 and 10, respectively, Gambito and Ditalo want to be police officers in the future — not just to redeem themselves in the society, but to also help in correcting the system of criminal justice.
“Gusto ko pong mag-take ng criminology. Dahil sa side na rin po ng papa ko. Tulad ng ginagawa sa atin, may tumutulong sa nangangailangan, ‘yung mga naaapi (I want to take criminology, also because I want to follow the legacy of my father’s side. Just like what happens in our society, someone helps those who are in need, those who are oppressed),” Gambito said.
Ditalo said: “Gusto kong maging pulis paglaki ko. Gusto kong tulungang magbago `yung mga tao sa amin. Saka tumulong sa mga bata, gusto ko silang magbago (I want to be a policeman when I grow up. I want to help in changing the people in our area. I also want to help children change their ways).”
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