An executive of an orphanage in Quezon City that was padlocked due to violations is facing an abduction suit before the prosecutor’s office for alleged refusal to return a child to his mother despite several requests.
The child’s mother yesterday filed charges of kidnapping and failure to return a minor under Article 270 of the Revised Penal Code against Gentle Hands Inc. (GHI) executive director Charity Graff.
Because she was a solo parent, and that her son’s nanny took an indefinite leave, the complainant said she brought her son to the GHI in January for only a month-long accommodation.
She complained she encountered difficulties in visiting her son, and that there was a time she was just allowed to see him for only 10 minutes.
Amid her repeated requests for longer visitation hours, she said Graff accused her to be a “worthless mother.”
“It came to a point where I would go to GHI in the hopes of seeing my son, only to be totally denied access to him and forcefully sent home by respondent Graff,” she said. Rio N. Araja
She said she asked GHI release her son, to no avail, adding Graff even required her to present a parental capability assessment report.
She was compelled to secure the report but Graff still did not release the boy, she noted.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development sent demand letters to Graff in March.
The mother was able to get her child back when authorities ordered the closure of GHI.
The facility through its lawyer Ma Cristina Joy Balajadia said they would answer any complaint in the proper forum.