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Alexis Romero - The Philippine Star
April 2, 2026 | 12:00am
A Grade 6 student holds up a message calling attention to the alleged sexual assault she is experiencing at Tinambac, Camarines Sur.
Redeemer Homeless Mission via Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — “I just want go to school without being raped. So can you please help us?”
The appeal for help in a letter written by an 11-year-old girl from Tinambac, Camarines Sur and posted on Facebook by a non-profit group elicited a rare online reply from President Marcos, who ordered the sending of policemen to her area and assured her of aid.
In a two-page letter dated March 30 and uploaded by the Redeemer Homeless Mission, the student said she walked out of her graduation at Caloco Elementary School to submit a petition to the local government against an allegedly abusive village official.
The student wrote that she has been involved in the activities of the Christian group that helps homeless children since the start of its mission in Quezon City in 2020.
According to her, one of her “sisters” in the mission was raped on her way home from school by a son of a councilman on Nov. 12, 2022 and on Feb. 14, 2023.
She said the rape victim got pregnant from the first rape, was abducted by the councilman and sent to Montalban. The village official allegedly had the baby “aborted and murdered.”
The student also claimed that the victim no longer goes to school after she was raped again by a henchman sent to her. She also alleged that the councilman has another son that raped a girl in 2018.
The letter detailed the supposed abuses of the councilman, who allegedly threatened the local residents, cut and stole their electrical wires, took their water well wires, started grass fires, put nails on trees, destroyed their coconut plants and stole their plants.
“Many of the families here stay in survival mode because government people make life very very difficult,” the student said.
“Question, Mr. President. How will we read if we are being raped? How will we read if our own government people cut our electrical wire so we have no lights? How will we read if our councilman (cuts) our well water and so we have no water?” she said.
Marcos told the student her letter has reached him and brought him “close to tears” and made him “very angry.”
“I am sending policemen to you and your sisters to protect you and to find anyone who has hurt any of you. I will make sure that you will be able to continue reading and studying as much as you want,” the President said.
“You are a very brave, intelligent and very kind girl and I will make sure to help you and your sisters in any way you need,” he added.
Marcos told the student to get in touch with his administration if there is anything she needs.
The student said her petition has 201 signatures from members of her community, including a village captain and four village council members.
According to the student, the filing of the petition, which she called a “prayer walk,” required her and a companion to walk 14 kilometers from the school to the local government office.
The Redeemer Homeless Mission thanked Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Undersecretary Aliah Dimaporo and their team for taking time to meet with its members.
Gatchalian said the social welfare department would provide the student and her companions in the shelter with psycho-emotional counseling. Their families will receive financial aid.
“Our social workers will also help her friend file cases. All forms of assistance will also be provided to their shelter,” he said.
The Philippine National Police dispatched specialized units to assist the 11-year-old girl. PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. yesterday sent a team from the Women and Children Protection Center to investigate the case.
An on-site verification by police probers showed the aforementioned village official’s son is already detained at the Tinangi Penal Farm for a rape case filed against him in 2023.
Nartatez urged other victims to come forward and seek help from authorities. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Emmanuel Tupas
