The Greater Insult is to Ignore Raped Children

The BBC’s Director General Mark Thompson apologized last October 10, to the Philippine Ambassador Edgardo Espiritu in London for an insulting and disparaging scene on a comedy show, Harry and Paul, last September 26 and 29. The offensive scene in the television skit portrayed a Filipina domestic maid ordered to seduce or sexually arouse one of the characters in the skit. The objectionable scene can be seen on youtube.

It shows one of the men, Paul apparently drunk, dressed in pajamas, in his garden and a Filipino maid, ordered by her boss, Harry Enfield to gyrate in a lascivious manner to sexually arouse Paul. After the attempt failed Harry tells Paul to “hump her”. Then he shoos his maid away down the street back to his own house.

Filipinos angered by this disparaging stereotype launched an online petition to denounce the insult and demand an apology. A group of Filipinos and supporters held a silent vigil front of Broadcasting House, the BBC’s main office London.

It was described by Batangas Representative Hermilando Mandranas, chairman of the congressional foreign affairs subcommittee as “racist and humiliating” to Filipinos.

Akbayan Representative Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel speaking on GMA Television said “the humiliating portrayal of Filipina workers promotes negative stereotypes that cultivate impunity among those who abuse Filipina workers abroad…", "By making a horrible scene of exploitation an object of ridicule, the show trivializes an act of abuse commonly experienced by Filipina workers abroad. It desensitizes its audience on human trafficking, an issue that merits global indignation," the lawmaker said.

The Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzales (DOJ) told a radio show host that he would join the protest if he were asked and criticized Filipinos also for criticizing each other so frequently in public that foreigners make fun of them. “We are the ones shaming ourselves. We criticize each other in public so frequently that foreigners take it as an encouragement to insult us too," he said, criticizing Filipinos in public and proving his point.

Child rights advocates are preparing a petition to Secretary Gonzales to demand that suspected British pedophile Richard Holden, 39, arrested in Dumaguete city, Negros oriental not be summarily deported without being tried. He is held by immigration authorities in Bicutan. He must be charged and put on trial for the alleged rape, sexual abuse and video taping of his sex acts with four minors whom he abandoned when they became pregnant.

Filipinos are outraged at the light and favorable treatment he is getting. Instead of being brought to justice, he will be sent home to the UK despite compelling evidence of heinous crimes. This is a bigger insult to the victims and to Filipinos than the comedy skit. Simple deportation will send a message to foreigner pedophiles and sex tourists that they can come here rape and abuse Filipino children and women with impunity and just be sent home. Which is exactly what they want.

To deport Holden without trial would be to shame the nation and do a grave injustice to the victims. Meanwhile thousands of Filipino children are behind bars are abused and deprived of childhood. Some are sexually abused in police holding cells. Others are detained in cramped DSWD lock ups.

Presently, the Preda charity gives shelter, therapy and legal assistance to child rape victims. For over 2 years, 26 of them still await a prosecutors resolution on their complaint against their rapist. 47 cases are in court for years with no end or justice in sight. 18 rapists are at large abusing more children. 12 cases of child rape were recently dismissed or acquitted for “lack of evidence”.

These cases handled by a single charity are the tip of a massive iceberg of injustice and indifference. There are thousands more. The victims are aged 6 to 16, half of them raped by their own relatives. The concern of police is minimal and prosecutor’s attention to the child rape victims is almost zero. No wonder respect for Filipinos is dropping world wide when even our own child rape victims can’t get justice. Lets us stand with the children and demand justice.