Commission on Human Rights condemns March 12 episode of Willing Willie

“The Commission on Human
Rights strongly condemns the
Willing Willie episode aired on
March 12, 2011 wherein a 6-year
old boy named Jan-Jan Suan
performed a‘macho-dancing
routine.’ This is an exploitation of
the child’s innocence and
demeans his inherent dignity for
entertainment’s sake.
“The multiple pressures exerted
on Jan-Jan by the TV program’s
host, audience, and his parents
to perform a humiliating act in
exchange for ten thousand pesos
constitute child abuse as defined
in Section 10 of R.A. No. 7610 or
‘Special Protection of Children
Against Abuse, Exploitation, and
Discrimination Act. It provides
that:
“Other Acts of Neglect, Abuse,
Cruelty or Exploitation and
Other Conditions Prejudicial to
the Child’s Development. -
“(a) Any person who shall
commit any other acts of child
abuse, cruelty or exploitation or
to be responsible for other
conditions prejudicial to the
child’s development including
those covered by Article 59 of
Presidential Decree No. 603, as
amended, but not covered by
the Revised Penal Code, as
amended, shall suffer the
penalty of prison mayor in its
minimum period.
“The willingness of Jan-Jan’s
parents to expose him, both in
private and public, to a
humiliating and degrading
situation is child abuse. The
Commission is also deeply
alarmed that the abuse suffered
by Jan-Jan was seen on national
television and that its videos are
being repeatedly watched by the
public, including children.
“The Commission will investigate
this incident in order to identify
the person/s liable and to
recommend proper legal actions
against them. The Commission
will also issue recommendations
to relevant private, especially
TV5, and public agencies in
order to prevent similar incidents
from happening again. The
Commission also calls upon the
relevant government offices such
as the Movie and Television
Review and Classification Board,
the Department of Social
Welfare and Development, and
the Department of Justice to
undertake the appropriate
actions to address this incidence
of child abuse and to provide
the necessary relief to Jan-Jan.”