Timeline of Events Regarding the Willing Willie Alleged Child Abuse Issue

Two weeks has passed and a lot of things  have happened since Willie Revillame alleged child abuse blew out in social media.

Note: This is from the perspective of Para Kay Jan-jan Facebook Page and the people I knew who took active part. I might have omitted others if I didn’t know about it personally.

I will place my inputs in italics. I communicated with Froilan Grate, Facebook admin so that any efforts done on their side would be posted in Twitter. The constant tweets on advertisers to reflect on their corporate social responsibility were done daily until Unilever’s pull-out on Friday.

March 12

  • Jan-jan appeared on the Willing Willie show of TV5.

March 23

  • Mistervader showed me the video link and feels that I should write about it. He warned me that I might be upset and take my time to watch it.

March 25

March 26

March 27

  • I finally got to watch the video early afternoon and tweeted this while writing my entry Willie Revillame humiliates a crying 6 year old boy.
  • Posted link of my entry in my  @momblogger Twitter account .
  • Shortly after, the tweet became viral. See curated tweets
  • Wenchie, Blog Watch blogger reports the incident to the executive assistant of Sec Dinky Soliman. A few hours later, Wenchie informs me that Sec. Soliman will release a statement by Monday.
  • Complaint Letter was finalized and submitted to Department of Social Welfare and Development ( DSWD), Commission of Human Rights (CHR), Philippine Association of National Advertiserrs (PANA), Kapisanan ng Broadcaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Senate, House of Representatives, Council on Welfare for Children (CWC), TV5, among others.
  • Shared Letter of Jan, written by Cathy S. Babao
  • Blogged List of Advertisers that keep him afloat.

March 28

  • DSWD Sec Dinky Soliman released a press statement condemning the “emotional abuse and humiliation” of Janjan.
  • A letter from the DSWD was sent to the office of Mr. Manny Pangilinan, chairman of TV5, requesting : 1) to not permit children to appear to WW or any TV5 show; and 2) to rebuke WR for all his actions.
  • GMA news TV is the first to break the news late Monday afternoon. Followed by ABS CBN. Cathy Babao’s letter as quoted partially in those news items.
  • TV5 issued an apology letter in reply; but denies that Janjan was forced to do the dancing.
  • Janjan’s parents, Joel Estrada and the mother, appeared on WW and said that there is no child abuse that happened; added that Janjan also does the “talent” in other competitions.

March 29

  • PANA circulated an email to its member-companies stating the guidelines for advertising.
  • Members of the Para Kay Jan-jan FB Page met with the Commissioners of the Commission on Human Rights.
  • CHR released a statement and found that there is child abuse on the incident.
  • Cristy Fermin alleged in her radio show that people from other network offered Suan Family 1 million pesos and a scholarship for Janjan to testify against Willie Revillame (WR). WR mentioned this alleged bribery incident in his show.

March 30

  • Council of Welfare of Children sent an email saying that they will hold discussions on policy regarding the issue
  • In a statement, UNICEF backed DSWD, Commission of Human Rights and other concerned groups in order to protect children’s rights.
  • TV5 released a statement regarding the measures it is undertaking in response to the complaint
  • Senator Pia Cayetano released a simple statement saying that TV shows should be mindful of Children’s rights.
  • The Mass Communications Department of St Scholastica’s College “thanks”   WW for airing the incident as it encouraged the discussion on the exploitation of children in Philippine Television

March 31

  • The Cong. Erin Tanada filed HR 1146 expressing the Congress’ sense in condemning the child abuse in the incident.
  • The Ateneo Human Rights Center released a detailed rebuttal to the arguments of TV5 and WR on the existence of Child Abuse in the incident
  • CDO announced that they will continue their sponsorship on WW until the end of their prior advertising commitment.
  • MTRCB released a briefer on Willing Willie setting a preliminary conference on April 4

April 1

April 3

April 4

  • World Vision expressed its opposition against acts that put children at risk.
  • Preliminary hearing on MTRCB took place. Scheduled another hearing on April 7 to allow TV5 to furnish its reports regarding the incident
  • Follow emails were sent to advertisers with the subject: “8,688 Filipinos are asking you to make a stand against child abuse”
  • learned Del Monte Inc. pulled out from John Silva.

April 5

  • An email to Unilever and P&G Philippines with the subject: “8,688 Filipinos are asking you to make a stand against child abuse” were sent to their International HQ (Netherlands for Unilever, US for P&G)
  • A call was made to Unilever Netherlands asking for immediate action from the Unilever HQ
  • Unilever Netherlands called back

April 6

  • The group sent a letter to CBCP requesting for their position on this issue
  • A letter was also sent to UST requesting for their position on this issue

April 7

  • Procter and Gamble pulls out ad placement on Willing Willie
  • I first learned about the P & G pullout through Paul Farol.
  • MTRCB held the second hearing on the WW issue. TV5 questions the jurisdiction of MTRCB regarding the issue. Three members of the Adjudication Committee inhibit from the case. Poe-Llamanzares states that another Adjudication committee will be formed.
  • Unilever Philippines called Admin01 asking for a meeting

April 8

  • Two members of the FB group (and Paul Farol) met with Unilever’s VP for Corporate Affairs and Media Director
  • Cebuana Lhuillier suspends its segment on the show
  • CBCP finally released statement on the WW issue condemning the acts of child abuse.
  • Unilever Philippines withdraws all of its advertisements on all reality based show throughout ALL the networks effective April 11.
  • Willie Revillame announces that Willing Willie will be voluntarily suspending their airing for two weeks until Easter Monday.
  • Atty. Espinosa of TV5 announced the filing of a libel case against Mr. John Silva

April 10

(Thank you to Angelo Lopez, our de facto volunteer researcher, for this compilation. Some of the efforts can also be found at their website , endchildabuse-ph,blogspot.com)