PDEA sues parents of minors rescued in Navotas raid

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) yesterday filed criminal charges against the parents of 12 minors who were rescued during a raid in Navotas City recently.

PDEA chief Aaron Aquino said the agency filed a complaint before the city prosecutor’s office for child abuse, cruelty and exploitation as well as violation of Republic Act 7610 for forcing minors to act as conduits in drug trafficking.

The parents were also sued for violating Presidential Decree 603, which holds them criminally liable for abandoning children.

Aquino said the parents should be held accountable for allowing their children to be used by drug rings.

City prosecutor Rennet Evangelista said the parents would undergo a preliminary investigation to determine if there is probable cause to charge them before a family court.

The PDEA has received flak for supposedly parading the minors before the media following the raid on a drug den in Navotas.

The agency said they rescued the children and turned them over to the Bahay Pag-asa facility in the city.