‘Why are there so many delays?’
To protect them from their abusers and help them heal and be empowered to pursue justice and testify in court, child abuse survivors are assigned by local social workers to private, therapeutic and protective shelters like the one run by the Preda Foundation in Zambales that is licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
At the Preda home, they are safe and receive special care in a happy environment provided by social workers, therapists and counselors. The children entertain visits from supportive relatives, go on home visits and make video calls, and continue their education. Yet, they are separated from their siblings and supportive family members for a long period due to the frequent delays in their court hearings and postponements of their cases.
“Why am I here a long time, and my abuser is out free. Why are there so many delays?” one of the children at the home would ask. It’s one frequently heard in therapy.
Supreme Court justices have acted to speed up the course of justice and issued guidelines to RTCs acting as family courts aimed at accelerating the resolution of child sexual abuse cases. The justices instruct that such cases take precedence over all others before the courts in order to protect the victims and secure justice for them. Only election and habeas corpus cases are allowed as exceptions. However, these guidelines are not always followed. In their effort to ensure speedy justice, the Supreme Court has instructed that trials must start within three days from the date the accused is arraigned, and that postponing the initial hearing is not allowed, except if the accused is seriously ill.
There are, indeed, some very diligent judges in family courts who can and continue to deliver speedy justice in many cases despite the drawbacks in the judicial system. In 2024, in cases of children in the Preda homes in Zambales, the courts in Zambales and Olongapo City passed promulgations within 18 months on average, finding 27 accused guilty. In 2025, there were 20 convictions. This shows that despite the many challenges to the judiciary, some judges, like Maribel Mariano Beltran and recently retired Gemma Theresa Hilario-Logronio, can act swiftly with diligence and deliver justice. But in other jurisdictions, such as in Macabebe, Pampanga, the wheels of justice turn ever so slowly.
In our experience, in some courts, the Supreme Court’s instructions are not always implemented. Court hearings are frequently postponed, causing the children to feel frustrated and stressed. There is the “piece meal” trial, where hearings are fragmented rather than held continuously. Tactics that include lawyers filing endless motions delay the proceedings.
The Family Court, established under Republic Act 8369, or the Family Courts Act of 1997, tackles many different kinds of cases besides those of child sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking. The calendars of the family courts are filled with cases that are petitions for the nullity of marriage, marital property relations, adoption, guardianship, custody, support, legal age of a child, and habeas corpus related to children. There are cases involving domestic violence against women and children, declarations of abandonment or neglect, and summary proceedings related to parental authority. There is little time for child sexual abuse cases that need continuous hearings to reduce the trauma and stress on the survivors. This is where the Supreme Court can establish a special children’s court.
The children are fighting for justice and need the Supreme Court to step up once again, make history and establish special children’s courts, where justice will be done and seen to be done by all./PN
