PH child welfare council seeks probes into fetal, infant remains discovered in QC, Laguna

The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) on Thursday urged authorities to swiftly complete investigations into separate cases involving the discovery of fetal and infant remains in Quezon City and Laguna.

CWC Executive Director Undersecretary Angelo Tapales said establishing the circumstances behind the cases and determining accountability where warranted are critical to ensuring justice and preventing similar incidents, according to a report by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

The appeal followed the discovery of fetal remains inside a shoebox abandoned along Regalado Highway in Barangay North Fairview, Quezon City on Nov. 1, and the recovery of a dead infant from a restaurant toilet tank in Nagcarlan, Laguna on Nov. 4.

Authorities are pursuing separate investigations into the incidents. In Quezon City, police are reviewing surveillance footage and other evidence to identify who left the fetal remains, while investigators in Laguna are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the infant's death.

Tapales said the cases serve as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding children's rights and ensuring that every child is treated with dignity and respect.

"We must establish the truth, ensure accountability where warranted, and strengthen the support systems that can help prevent such incidents," Tapales said, as quoted by PNA.

The CWC also called for stronger access to health, social welfare and psychosocial services for individuals and families facing difficult circumstances, noting that timely assistance and intervention can play a key role in child protection.

The agency likewise encouraged the public to use available reporting mechanisms, including the MAKABATA Helpline, to report cases involving abuse, neglect, abandonment and other child welfare concerns. Paraluman News with a report of Teresa Montemayor/Philippine News Agency