16 May 2009
The below is an article by Shay Cullen. My comments will be in this font and inserted into his article, Shay Cullen's article is unchanged except for the addition of my words, so I do NOT take responsibility for his words.
LIFE AND SALVATION "IN THE BOX"
(Fr. Shay's columns are published in The Manila Times,
in publications in Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and on-line.)
http://www.preda.org/archives/2009/r09051301.html
This week, the hardest days in the life of Max, Kaloy and Buboy was
poured out on the floor of the Preda center through a moving theatre
drama entitled "Kahon", meaning "The Box". They were the lead players
in a stunning performance before an astonished group of Swiss and
Swedish students and researchers at Preda. They had come to study the
amazing transformation in the lives of the young people recovering
from life behind bars and reforming their lives at Preda therapeutic
community through theater and emotional expression therapy. It was an
emotional presentation as the stories of the three unfolded, there
were teary eyes among the audience.
The story of these three kids from prison form part of the theater
piece "KAHON". Prison is like a small box into which the young boys
are crammed with seasoned criminals, rapists, and murderers. The boys
live in fear and terror of rape, abuse and prison slavery. They tell
how they suffered the humiliation, abuse, hunger and hardship of
sleeping on concrete floors with rats and cockroaches running around
and sometimes having to endure brutality by the guards that was
tantamount to torture.
The play is a fast moving heart-wrenching drama made up by the boys
with the help of the Preda theatre directors. The purpose to is to
develop public awareness and advocacy for a change in the policing
practice that still imprisons children in jails despite the law
forbidding it. As I was writing this article, I received a long text
message from Shiela, our social worker on the rescue team - "Hurray!!
Freed one more boy in jail, 8 months there, orphan, no birth
certificate but tooth dating shows he's about 16. He stole for food.
Now free at last, coming home".
Note the information "help of the Preda theatre directors." Preda is more concerned, it seems to me (and my opinion only, mind you), with theater and production than with naming names and getting actual progress done. Did the reader note that the law forbids the practice mentioned? If Shay Cullen is so aware of the law, why did he not bring charges against the erring lawmen and/or authorities?
He could. I did, even facing charges by a judge for "malicious prosecution" due to the fact that the judge, as a prosecutor who admitted working closely with Shay Cullen, inhibited himself four times, yet despite such numerous inhibitions decided that he had the right to recommend to the Department of Justice for the involuntary custody of my daughter, even mentioning in the recommendation by name the prosecutor assigned to the case. I filed a case against him with the Ombudsman, but it was dismissed without recommendation of filing any charges against me. So the judge, as a private individual, filed the charge against me. The case is currently on appeal.
Perhaps Shay Cullen and his Preda staff are afraid of similar actions against them.
That message summed up the bitter suffering of an abandoned street
boy who ached with hunger looking at overfed customers in the fast
food joints and not even a left over or a few crumbs was given to
him. Shiela's text message had a spark of joy in saving a destitute
and abandoned child from the dungeons of despair. His name is Jimboy
and when he recovers from skin diseases, malnutrition and loneliness,
he will be telling his story of his salvation through acting in "The Box".
The reenacting of their suffering in jail is healing therapy in
itself. The audience is healed too - from apathy and indifference to
human suffering. They come to realize that their stereotype image of
the "delinquent youth" as a criminal intent on harming and destroying
others is generally wrong . The truth is that these kids are just
starving for love and food. They have been rejected and abused,
castaway, unwanted, unloved by irresponsible parents, abused by
adults, the society, authority, church and state and thrown on the
garbage heap of discarded people. They are illiterate, homeless,
jobless, hopeless and they steal to survive. And now hey are on top
of that long harsh prison sentences.
This is the best Shay Cullen and Preda can do? Turn a boy without education into an actor, reliving his worst nightmares over and over for the rest of his life? Why can they not counsel the child, help him overcome his fears and anger, learn a new trade and move on to start a family and a decent life instead of being a pawn for Preda to beg for more donations? Is the audience really "healed too", or are they manipulated into giving up their hard-earned money for acts of Shay Cullen, such as his recent (last year) attempts to get me deported with claims of unlawful acts against my country (without proof, of course, and which are far beyond the jusrisdiction of the Philippines) and a short statement that I was "planning to flee the Philippines."
I'm still here more than a year later, so that lie is obvious, isn't it?
And by the way, there is not a release of the dismissal by the Bureau of Immigration. I strongly suspect that the donations made to Preda are being used to keep it in suspense, because, after all, it is a forgone conclusion that I will initiate a damages lawsuit for this SECOND attempt at my freedom in the Philippines. The first was done in 2000, and although I never did get the complaint, I got the resolution in February 2001 that although the complaint was that I was an undocumented and overstaying alien, all my papers were in order. Perhaps I should have filed a damages lawsuit at that time, but I elected not to. This time, however......
Your kind donations to Preda at work for helping jailed children and sexually abused women and children were used to frame up an innocent for not paying U.S. taxes (impossible, because I am paid by the U.S. government and my taxes are withheld before I ever get any money), among other lies.
Perhaps you would be so kind as to write to the Bureau of Immigration, Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, 1002 Manila, Philippines, and ask them why the delay for more than a year since the filing of the charges in May 2008 against me are not either dismissed or acted upon. Either way, Shay Cullen and his staff are in trouble, because if I am deported, there will be nothing to stop me from selling my book in the Philippines, and if I'm not deported, he will be facing a civil damages lawsuit for this filing a second time.
In the Preda Home for "Children in Conflict with the Law", all that
is abolished. The children stay voluntarily in the open home with no
desire to leave. They are trained to discover their own inner value,
human dignity and hope. There is no need for beatings, punishment and
all that abuse that is so damaging and detrimental to children's
well-being. Some parents and authority figures who have failed as
human beings and parents may quote "spare the rod and spoil the
child" and they are utterly wrong. They who believe in that axiom
must be devoid of common sense about human love, friendship,
understanding and can never bond with their children. They need
therapy and to come to terms with their own deprivation of parental
love in their childhood. What we need is not more punishment and
cruelty but compassion, friendship and affirming the inherent
goodness in the youth.
Shay Cullen states that to quote "spare the rod and spoil the child" is utterly wrong. Does he even read the Bible? Allow me a couple of quotes from the Bible, if I may:
PROVERBS 13:24: He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
PROVERBS 22:15: Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
PROVERBS 23:13-14: Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.
PROVERBS 29:15: The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.
"Those who believe the axiom must be devoid of commen sense about human love, friendship, understanding and can never bond with their children" is a direct quote from the above paragraph of Shay Cullen. Sorry to break Shay Cullen's words, but children do naturally lie. Catch any youngster with chocolate on his face and ask if he ate the chocolate he wasn't supposed to touch and see if the child tells the truth. If the child told the truth, that would be a real eye-opener, wouldn't it?
Do not let my words be misinterpreted here: I do NOT recommend beating children. Indeed, my parenting skills were to use a three point approach:
Most important, and not even numbered is: Do not be angry when you handle the problem. If need be, inform the child that a discussion will take place shortly. Nothing more.
1. Explain to the child why what was done or said was wrong. End of 'punishment'.
2. Explain that a third occurence will result in punishment. Again explain why it was wrong. End of 'punishment'.
3. Discuss with child need for the punishment, and remind of the previous discussions. Apply punishment ONCE ONLY. End of punishment. Repeat above two steps and this step as required.
The KAHON play is powerful because it reminds of these realities of
our own past and present unfulfilled human needs. It shows that
cruelty and injustice is not a way to rehabilitate these kids.
Showing them respect, concern and giving inspiration and
encouragement to change will help these young people to reform, grow
in virtue and honesty and have respect for themselves and others. END
As for Shay Cullen's last paragraph, is he admitting that he is reminded of his own past rebellions? Remember, in his book "Passion and Power" he stated clearly that he was an uncooperative student and disliked authority.
He is quite correct, however, in his statement that cruelty and injustice is not a way to rehabilitate children. Likewise, it is not a way to be looked upon favorably by the international community. Consider carefully who filed the rape complaint against two children: Shay Cullen and several of his staff. He and they made no "loving commitment" to heal and rehabilitate - they did and are still engaged in breaking up this and other families. Sorry for him and them that they picked on the wrong man. I will not allow my family to be destroyed by any outsiders, which is why I, not some mythical "Olongapo (or international) Sex Mafia" filed some 50 legal complaints against Preda.
You make the donations to Preda to uplift those in need. Is your money being spent as you want it, or is it being squandered away with false complaints and payoffs? As long as Shay Cullen and Preda continue their libel and misinformation to the public along with false accusations against my children and I is as long as I will be on their backs with the truth. The rape of my daughter by Shay Cullen will not be easily forgotten by this family.
Indeed, I offer him a challenge: Charge me with libel. Go ahead. Let's bring out the truth, not only in court, but to the whole world! I would be happy to see reporters covering his libelous and un-Christian sworn statements in court.
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