Exploited and abused children are children whose right to life, liberty and security are equally guaranteed under our fundamental law. Let us bring hope back to them. After all, our children are the only hope of our motherland.

Justice Filomena Singh

A collaboration between the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and International Justice Mission Philippines, the Judicial Congress welcomed 33 judges from all over the country for a second townhall meeting on February 18 to 20, 2025 (the first was in 2024).

Officially titled The Judicial Congress 2.0: A Townhall Meeting on Child Protective Strategies and Consultation on Strengthening Child Protective Topics, the gathering took place at Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati. The Judicial Congress is part of a continuing dialogue between IJM and judges on child protection measures.

The Judicial Congress focused on protecting the well-being of the survivor of online sexual exploitation or abuse, the child who finds himself or herself in the middle of the legal process. The Judicial Congress emphasizes the importance of the role of a judge and how the judiciary supports—and can further support—the child's well-being.

Also present at the town hall were lawyers, child protection advocates, and survivors of online sexual exploitation or abuse of children (OSAEC). The town hall was a venue to share knowledge and insights, explore strategies, and renew commitment to protecting children in our criminal justice system.

“The judiciary plays a crucial role,” said IJM’s National Director Atty. Samson Inocencio, addressing all the attendees. “When our courts prioritize being child-friendly and protecting our child survivors, they create a safe space where survivors and witnesses feel empowered…we convened this Judicial Congress to provide a space for open dialogue and mutual consultation among child protection advocates.”

Pursuing the child’s best interests through child-protective practices

For many of us, it is difficult to imagine what child survivors of online sexual abuse face after their rescue. They start their journey of recovery, but they are also key participants in the legal process. They need to answer questions, talk to lawyers, judges—a lot of intimidating strangers. A child can actually be re-traumatized, especially if required to appear in court and see his or her perpetrator once again.

“OSEC cases are inherently sensitive due to the age of the victims being targeted and the kinds of perpetrators, who are often family members or relatives,” said Atty. Nelisa Guevara-Garcia, Director of IJM’s National Prosecution Development team.

Atty. Erin Canino and Atty. Nelisa Guevara-Garcia

“Some of the unexpected difficulties associated with OSEC cases include evidence that involves child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSAM/CSEM), exposure to explicit details of abuse, and the need for trauma-informed care from the professional parties involved. Over the years, IJM has innovated investigative and prosecution strategies alongside our government partners to provide a more victim-centered and trauma-informed approach that is consistent with our goals of child-protection for the survivor.”

For IJM, the guiding principle is to act in the child’s best interests. This means that how the victory is achieved matters more than the victory itself. The child’s well-being is a much higher priority than securing the maximum jail time for the perpetrator.

“Over the years, IJM has innovated investigative and prosecution strategies alongside our government partners to provide a more victim-centered and trauma-informed approach that is consistent with our goals of child-protection for the survivor,” Atty. Lisa emphasized in her closing speech at the Judicial Congress.

Protecting the child throughout the legal process has led to the introduction of what we now call “child-protective practices,” such as plea bargaining, which speeds up the legal process without requiring victim testimony, helping the child experience closure sooner rather than later, and which gives room for restorative justice. Or Video In-Depth Disclosure Interviews, which are videotaped testimonies, sparing the child from having to be in the courtroom during trials and from having to recount the horrors of his or her experience repeatedly.

Adopting child protective and trauma-informed practices like these in every step of the journey toward justice—whether in legal processes or in courtrooms—is a way to protect the child from re-living the horrors of abuse. And to the child, this can make all the difference.

Presenting child-protective strategies in prosecution and investigation

Drawing from experience handling online child sexual exploitation cases and developing child-protective practices since 2016, IJM prepared several presentations to share with the judges at the Judicial Congress, regarding child protective strategies in prosecution and investigation.

IJM’s Director of National Investigation and Law Enforcement Development Atty. Noel Eballe and Atty. Lawrence Aritao, Director of Prosecution and Aftercare of IJM’s Center to End Online Sexual Exploitation of Children, went into a deep dive into the Trafficking of Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials, discussing child-protective investigative strategies. Atty. Liza Tan, Head of Prosecution Development of IJM Cebu, shared about child-protective prosecution strategies that judges may hopefully see employed in their courts. Aftercare Lead at IJM, Karen Asuncion-Esguerra, shared learnings on Trauma-Informed Care and the importance of having a child-protective mindset.

L-R Atty. Noel Eballe, Atty. Lawrence Aritao, Karen Asuncion-Esguerra

In a joint presentation, survivors from the Philippine Survivor Network—Theia, Jaika,* Ali*, and Shaira—recounted their experiences with their legal cases and walked judges through their time in court.

*a pseudonym

The final day of the Judicial Congress made way for small group discussions. The judges shared best practices with each other and discussed ways forward to ensure the protection of children appearing in their courts.

The judges expressed their appreciation for the Judicial Congress and the meaningful dialogues that took place. A participant expressed that the gathering gave them the opportunity to learn from and empathize with fellow Family Court judges, and to refresh their perspectives as frontliners working with vulnerable children.

The Philippine Supreme Court’s commitment to protecting children

Justice Filomena Singh delivered a keynote address and highlighted that “topmost and central in this ‘big picture’ is the judiciary’s role in protecting children from any and all forms of abuse. After all, the judiciary’s responsibility to protect the most vulnerable sectors of society arises not only from a sense of Constitutional fealty, but also as a matter of moral imperative.”

Justice Singh mentioned that “the Supreme Court is recognized internationally for having taken the lead in these initiatives. In the Supreme Court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022 to 2027 (SPJI) under its Gender Fairness and Inclusivity objective, the Court has formulated Guidelines for Victim-Sensitive Courts. The IJM was an important part in this endeavor. These VSC Guidelines recognize the dearth of safeguards in place to prevent the re-victimization of children through ineffective and insensitive court proceedings, processes and court actions. With support from the Australian government, we have even broadened these guidelines to cover the entire justice system through the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC),” Justice Singh said.

She also mentioned the Rule on Examination of a Child Witness, which is currently under revision, “which is founded on upholding the best interests of the child and to promote the maximum protection to child witnesses.”

Justice Filomena Singh delivering her keynote address remotely

Big wins of the Department of Justice in eradicating OSAEC

Justice Singh inspired judges by highlighting big wins in the judiciary and the Philippine government. “The Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government has launched its first-ever tri-city Anti-OSAEC Justice Zone last year in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Ozamis Cities in Region 10. Justice Zones are implemented to identify common problems in certain, predefined zones and generate approaches to address them.”

“The initiative of our Congress in eradicating OSAEC is likewise commendable. With the passage of Republic Act No. 11930, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act, the State’s policy of providing special protections to children from all forms of violence, especially those committed through ICT, has now been embedded in our statute books.”

Addressing her IJM collaborators, Justice Singh said, “I really want to give credit to the International Justice Mission (IJM), which has consistently been at the frontlines of efforts on child protection, sometimes finding itself the only one left manning the barricade. IJM, Atty. Sam, Atty. Nelisa. The Supreme Court is here.”

Justice Singh also shared a perspective of appreciation from her 23 years of experience as a judge. “Having presided a Regional Trial Court myself, I have witnessed first-hand how an effective courtroom requires, first and foremost, a truly sensitive judge who is ‘eyes wide open’ aware of her or his critical role in a child-sensitive and protective legal system.”

“And although I can personally attest that the system we have in place is far from perfect, I will be the first to declare in any public fora that we have come a long way from where we were when I started as a METC (Metropolitan Trial Court) Judge in 2002, 23 years ago. But we can and will do so much more to protect victim-survivors. That is our undertaking and I seal it today with my word of honor in the name of the Philippine Supreme Court and our Chief Justice, the Honorable Alexander G. Gesmundo.”

Protecting the hope of our motherland

“Children suffering in any form is an aberration. It goes against all laws, natural and statutory,” Justice Singh emphasized. “Exploited and abused children are children whose right to life, liberty and security are equally guaranteed under our fundamental law. Let us bring hope back to them. After all, our children are the only hope of our motherland.”

What happens to these children who have been abused? Having heard from survivors Theia, Jaika*, Ali* , and Shaira, who are also members of the Philippine Survivor Network, we know that there is hope. More than that, there is redemption. They have not only survived, but they are now fighting for the future of Filipino children, and the prevention of OSAEC.

By sharing our stories, we are helping to create change. And also, a reminder to support survivors, advocate for justice and continue to work towards a world where no one – no kid –has to endure what we experienced.

Theia, Survivor

To all honorable judges and attorneys here, I appreciate your time and effort to make it here. We know that you face difficult decisions daily, and that you often work long hours under considerable pressure. Your dedication to seeking truth and ensuring justice is deeply valued, and we commend you for your commitment to serving our community. Please know that your efforts are recognized and appreciated. We wish you continued strength, resilience, and success in your important work.

Ali*, Survivor

*a pseudonym

Atty. Nelisa Guevara-Garcia expressed her appreciation for the survivors. “We have been given that rare opportunity to hear from the survivors themselves about the experiences and their hopes for a justice system that is trauma-informed and child protective.”

“Let us encourage each other to share our insights, experiences, and best practices as we work together to identify and dismantle the barriers that child survivors face when seeking justice,” Atty Nelisa said. “Together, we can shape a well-equipped and compassionate justice system that protects both the rights and wellbeing of our children.”

Meryll Sarco of IJM together with survivors. Some faces are concealed for their privacy. In the middle is Ali (not his real name), who has given consent to show his face. At the rightmost is Theia, a survivor leader and advocate who has given IJM permission for her name and image to appear publicly on IJM's channels.