Willie charged with child abuse over ‘dancing boy’

MANILA, Philippines - Television host Willie Revillame was charged with violating the anti-child abuse law, Republic Act 7610, before a Quezon City court this week over a six-year-old boy’s sexually suggestive dance on his defunct show, Willing-Willie, two years ago.

The case was raffled off Monday to the Regional Trial Court Branch 86, a family court under the sala of Judge Roberto Buenaventura.

It was filed following the resolution issued by Assistant City Prosecutor Benjamin Samson, who found merit in the complaint filed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Council for the Welfare of Children.

Reports said the separate cases filed by private individuals were dismissed as they do not have the authority to file a complaint under the law.

Section 27 of RA 7610 said that cases of unlawful acts against children can only be filed by the offended party; parents or guardians; ascendant or collateral relative; a representative of a licensed child caring institution; an officer of the DSWD; a village chief; or at least three citizens where the violation occurred.

In an interview with The STAR, blogger Noemi Lardizabal-Dado – one of the private complainants – said they have yet to receive a copy of the resolution involving the case.

The case was filed after Revillame allegedly cajoled the six-year-old boy into doing a sexually suggestive dance on the March 12, 2011 episode of his show on TV5.

The show, which was ordered suspended for 30 days by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, received flak after a clip of the incident went viral on the Internet.

Revillame earlier denied abusing the child, saying that there was nothing obscene about his performance.