MANILA, Philippines — A Lumad schools advocacy group on Thursday said the regional social welfare office in the Central Visayas has yet to release a Lumad child taken into custody by the police from a Cebu university in February despite a court order. Despite the order signed by Judge Leah Geraldez, SOS-Cebu said social welfare officials would not release the child, even with the father and their group waiting outside the DSWD's office. Some 26 Lumad children were taken in mid-February at the University of San Carlos' Talamban campus in Cebu City. "A Cebu court has found their claims of custody over her as baseless...they could not even present a case as to why they are taking custody of the children. Last month, 13 of the Lumad children were flown back to Davao City despite a child rights' group saying some of the parents were not informed of the move.

Source: Philippine Star March 11, 2021 11:37 UTC