PROCEDURAL CONSTRAINTS EXPERIENCED BY WCPD IN HANDLING VAWC CASES IN SELECTED AREAS IN PANGASINAN

Abstract

Violence Against Women and Their Children (VAWC) remains a critical issue, hindered by an execution gap between Republic Act No. 9262 and frontline police operations. This descriptive phenomenological study examined the procedural constraints encountered by Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) personnel in San Carlos City, Alaminos City, and Lingayen, Pangasinan. Data were gathered through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with purposively selected WCPD officers and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. The findings revealed that WCPD officers navigate dual, conflicting roles, balancing emotional, victim-centered support with rigid legal documentation mandates. However, case progression is severely hindered by three core procedural constraints: victim reluctance and complaint withdrawal due to trauma or family pressure; institutional limitations including severe manpower shortages, lack of private interview rooms, and heavy workloads; and inter-agency coordination gaps among barangays, social workers, and courts. These systemic bottlenecks prolong legal processes, cause secondary victimization for survivors, and diminish public confidence in the justice system. The study concludes that procedural delays require holistic institutional interventions that merge structural legal processes with trauma-informed care. It recommends that local governments and law enforcement agencies augment funding for dedicated facilities and equipment, deploy additional personnel to alleviate heavy workloads, implement continuous stress management training for officers, and establish a standardized, streamlined inter-agency referral protocol to ensure a more integrated and survivor-centered approach to justice.