The Supreme Court has ruled that not all forms of physical discipline by parents can be considered child abuse.
In its decision, the court emphasized that excessive discipline should not harm the dignity of a child.
The 14-page ruling clarified that parental discipline must not be excessive, violent, or inappropriate for addressing a child’s behavior.
It further stated that spanking a child for wrongdoing does not automatically qualify as child abuse.
The decision was signed by Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez.
The case stemmed from charges against a father accused of excessively disciplining his 12-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son in 2017 and 2018.
The father reportedly kicked, pulled the hair of, and hit his children with a wooden stick after they refused to eat lunch and lost their savings.
The Supreme Court found the father’s actions to be excessive and upheld the conviction for his actions.