DSWD urges leaders to protect rights of Filipino children amid ‘serious charges’ against Quiboloy

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday, August 26, called on all leaders to take a stand to protect the rights of every Filipino by supporting the judicial processes designed to “bring perpetrators to justice.”

“It is particularly painful when public figures, who should be champions of justice and defenders of the vulnerable, appear to trivialize these heinous acts or align themselves with those accused of such heinous crimes,” DSWD said in a statement.

DSWD, the agency charged with protecting the welfare of the country’s most vulnerable, said it “cannot remain silent in light of the serious allegations” against Apollo Quiboloy.

“The allegations of human trafficking, sexual exploitation and abuse of minors strike at the heart of what we stand for: protecting those who cannot protect themselves,” DSWD said.

The agency noted that President Marcos has often expressed how deeply he is moved by the “suffering of innocent people.”

“He speaks for many of us when he says that nothing is more painful than seeing a child in need, in pain or without hope,” DSWD said. “It is the same pain that drives our work at DSWD,” the agency added.

Behind every case

Amid the controversies surrounding Quiboloy, DSWD expressed support for the alleged victims.

“We must never forget that behind every case there are real children, real mothers, real families who are suffering,” DSWD said.

As for the victims, DSWD reaffirmed its “commitment to ensuring that they receive the justice they deserve and that their voices are heard.”

“We call on all leaders to join us in protecting the rights of every Filipino child and to support the legal proceedings put in place to bring perpetrators to justice,” DSWD said.

The agency also supported President Marcos in his quest to create a better future for every Filipino child, where “no one is left behind or left to suffer alone.”