The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it will file criminal charges against the operator of a child care facility in Mexico, Pampanga, who was arrested on Wednesday, August 13, following multiple complaints of abuse.
The facility, run by the New Life Baptist Church of Mexico, Pampanga Inc., was headed by American national Pastor Jeremy Ferguson.
Ferguson was arrested by DSWD personnel and the Pampanga Police Provincial Office’s Women and Children’s Protection Desk for alleged violations of Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, through the agency’s Field Office 3 (Central Luzon), also issued a cease and desist order (CDO) on the same day, suspending the shelter’s operations under the department’s mandate to protect children from harm, neglect, and exploitation.
Gatchalian said the suspension was prompted by reports of physical, verbal, and psychological abuse of children under the shelter’s care.
Additional complaints included fire hazards, mismanagement of funds, and failure to comply with registration, licensing, and accreditation standards.
A total of 156 children—78 boys and 78 girls—were rescued from the facility and are now under the protective custody of the DSWD’s Reception and Study Center for Children in Lubao, Pampanga.
The DSWD is coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to request a hold departure order to prevent Ferguson from leaving the country during the investigation.
“We will be filing criminal cases against Pastor Ferguson based on the complaints of children who have experienced physical, verbal and psychological abuse while under his custody,” Gatchalian said.
“We will also be requesting the Bureau of Immigration to issue a hold departure order on Mr. Ferguson to make sure that he will face his criminal cases in court,” he added. (Ellalyn de Vera-Ruiz)
