DSWD-7 refutes custody allegations: We were following standard procedures

CEBU CITY, Philippines — They are just following standard procedure to ensure that the children receive proper care before they are turned over to their guardians or parents.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) said this in a statement as the agency denied allegations that it was withholding an indigenous people (IP) child in its custody from her father.

The DSWD-7 was referring to the allegations of Rius Valle, spokesperson of Save Our Schools Network, during an online press conference on February 27. 

Valle said during the briefing that the father of the IP child was told by a DSWD-7 staff to go home and produce a Parenting Capability Assessment Report (PCAR) before he could get back the custody of his child.

The DSWD-7 said that they were just following standard procedures.

Look: Statement of DSWD-7 on allegations of withholding custody of IP child to her father

Prior to the turnover of IP children to DSWD-7, the Field Office emphasized the need to conduct a Parenting Capability Assessment by the concerned local social welfare offices where the children came from. 

The agency said that the Parenting Capability Assessment was part of the protocols to ensure that children would receive proper care. 

The assessment report or the PCAR is a requirement by DSWD-7 before the children under its custody are turned over to their parents or guardians.

The DSWD-7 also denied allegations of Kim Vinzar Samiana, deputy director of Children’s Rehabilitation Center, that policemen suddenly arrived in the area where they had a conversation with DSWD-7, which Samiana claimed had a purpose of intimidating them.

The social welfare agency said the police were only outside the DSWD-7 office to ensure order in the area.

/dbs

Read: Groups accuse DSWD-7 of ‘double standards’ in handling case of ‘rescued’ Lumad children