The Anti Violence Against Women and their Children Act is a law that can be used not only against men but also against women, the former lover of Marie Roxanne "Plinky" Recto said yesterday.

The former lover said he was reacting to the motion filed by Recto's lawyer, Rowena Guanzon, asking Bago Regional Trial Court Henry Judge Henry Trocino to inhibit himself from hearing a case he filed for custody of his 15- month-old child with Recto.

Trocino had earlier granted a Temporary Protection Order that allowed the former boyfriend to gain custody of the child.

In seeking the inhibition, Guanzon said Trocino acted in "bad faith, malice, glaring partiality, in gross ignorance of the law, and blatantly violated the Rule on Custody and the Rule on Violence Against Women and their Children."

It is Guanzon who is misinformed and ignorant of the law, by arguing that RA 9262 cannot be used against women, the former lover said.

Guanzon could not be reached for comment as of press time.

He said the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act states that "any person, whether male or female, may be held liable for the commission of any of the prohibited acts under RA 9262."

He also said RA 9262 states that the following may apply for protection orders: parents or guardians of the offended party, officers or social workers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development or social workers of local government units, police officers, punong barangays or barangay kagawads, lawyers, counselors, therapists and health care providers of the petitioner.

From these facts it is clear that RA 9262 gives him the right to seek the protection of his child, he said.

RA 9262 is not only for women and I am fighting for the right of men to raise and educate their children, too, he said.

He also said in his case before the Bago court, he cited the Custody Rule and AM no 02-10-11 in his bid to seek custody of his child.

The former lover also said he is requesting Guanzon to stop calling his son an illegitimate child because he takes it as a personal affront. There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents, he said.

Last week Judge Rizalina Capco-Umali inhibited herself from hearing the case filed by Recto against her former lover for a Permanent Protection Order to gain custody of her child.

"What is evident /apparent and glaring is the fact that both parties distrust and undermine the capacity of the Mandaluyong courts to try and decide the present case," Capco-Umali said in her voluntary inhibition from handling the case.

The former lover's name has been withheld by the media because he has cited AM 04-10-11 of the Supreme Court stating that all cases of violence against women and children should be treated with privacy and confidentiality.

It also states that whoever publishes or causes to publish a name of one of the parties without consent shall be liable for contempt of court and shall suffer the penalty of one year imprisonment and a fine of not more than P500,000, he said.*CPG

back to top