Preda Newsletter May 2010 (Part 1 of 3)

Preda Newsletter May 2010 (Part 1 of 3)

DEAR FRIENDS AND DEFENDERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS,

PREDA TRUSTEE SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTACK. We have been shot at, beaten, harassed and jailed over the years and now a former Preda staff, Conrado Villarez who gave dedicated service and commitment during the early ears of the growth of the Preda projects and is a member of the Preda Board of Trustees, has been the target of an assassination attempt by a gunman who fired at him point blank a month ago. His quick reaction when the killer walked up to him was to brush away the gun with his right hand, but it fired into his hand, arm and side. It miraculously missed vital organs and he survived and was rushed to hospital. He has recovered and bravely returned to work as Municipal Treasurer of Subic town and where he is a senior election supervisor. He will help oversee the elections in Subic town where he has refused to join the schemes of corrupt business people who want him to lower their tax obligations. He is taking precautions.

THE CHALLENGING WORK OF PREDA. Preda has been working for 36 years, since its founding in 1974 to rescue youth and children from jail, abusers, death squads and the streets. We have exposed the torture and abuse of children in prisons in Metro Manila and elsewhere. With the help of you, our supporters, there are 112 child victims of abuse recovering at Preda and enjoying a happier life and well supported in best practice, run-separate communities. They are receiving therapy, life values, skills training, education, legal assistance and protection from abusers, pedophiles, tortures and unjust imprisonment.

We have challenged the politicians and operators of the sex industry and we have succeeded in bringing human traffickers to justice and saved many young girls from horrific abuse as sex slaves and commercial sexual exploitation in bars, clubs and on the streets. We thank you if you are a donor or advocate for justice for the victims of abuse and exploitation.

PREDA FAIR TRADE SAVES MORE LIVES. The Preda Fair Trade shares the earnings from selling dried mangoes with the farmers besides its project of giving tri-bikes to the families of small farmers and workers. There was a sharing out to different Preda project of €209,000 in 2009. This helped save dozens of children from traffickers, sex clubs, and pedophiles. Angelica is just one of many children rescued from an abusive father and abuser.  They are living a new life, safe, happier and looking to a brighter future. The biggest problem we have is bringing the abusers to justice and getting the prosecutors to prosecute. They are mostly men and seem to favour the accused rather than giving concern to the victim. Cases have been delayed for up to two years and we have to protect the child at Preda because the abuser will harm or abuse her again if she goes home. Our para-legal team has lobbied the Department of Justice and some cases were eventually filed in the court but the accused are still at large unable to be found and arrested by the police.

A YOUNG BOY RESCUED FROM TORTURE AND UNJUST IMPRISONMENT. Mark was distraught, withdrawn, and traumatized, with a vacant stare when he was rescued and set free by the Preda team, he could not believe that people were being kind and were there to help him from the goodness of their heart. He had never experienced much love in his young life of abuse. Deprivation drove him to the streets to survive. No father, no love nor guidance & inspiration for him. He grew up feeling unwanted and rejected.

In the police station, he was unjustly accused of a crime he did not do. He was beaten and tortured. The police took turns in punching him in the stomach. Then in a small windowless room, they beat him again. They hit him in the chest using their fists and gun. One pointed his gun at Mark and demanded he confess to stealing the cash and pieces of jewelry, otherwise they would kill him. He was so scared he agreed to say he did it.

He was detained for four months, mixed with other adult inmates in cramped quarters so small they couldn't lie down.  Sleep was by rotation. The only food was what visitors brought and they ate left-overs like animals. Starving day and night, he wolfed down anything he could get. The brutality happened whenever the police were angry or annoyed, they blamed Mark and beat him with sticks and steel bars on the back of the legs. It was a nightmare in a hell hole, the worst of all was the hopelessness; he had no one in the world, he was abandoned as a child.

Mark experienced further physical abuse while inside the police detention center. Police officers hit him two to three times in the buttocks using a branch of a guava tree as a 'welcome rite'. Police officers also hit the inmates on their palms using a stick only because they were noisy when there were visitors. Also sometimes at night, when the police on duty was drunk, he would ask the inmates to go out of the holding cell one by one and he hit them on the back of the legs with a steel bat.

Then mercifully Mark was released by a court order applied for by Preda and released to freedom and a chance for a life of dignity and goodness. Today he is recovering and finding a new meaning to life, he is respected and respects the others in the center. He has no desire to escape and together with 60 other youth, he is content to make a better and happier life for himself. He has found a father image at the center, brothers and sisters in the staff and feels loved, wanted and of value. He has a good future ahead of him.

This is email is first of three parts. You will receive the second part next week. To view full newsletter please visit: www.preda.org/newsletters

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PREDA Information Office
PREDA Foundation, Inc.
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