Protocols shall be conducted in a child-friendly room or child-friendly environment to ensure that the child can feel comfortable, secure and safe; d. The presence of the child’s counsel or an assisting lawyer shall be required at all stages of the interview of the child, if said child is a suspect in a case being investigated by the CHR; 103 Post-Interview l. The child shall sign or thumb mark her statement, depending on her age and level of mental ability. This shall be done in the presence of her parents or guardian and/or her counsel or assisting lawyer; e. The investigating officer must talk the child’s language, and avoid using technical terms. If possible use the vernacular or the child’s dialect; m. The parent or guardian, or the social worker and the child’s counsel or assisting lawyer shall also be required to sign the written statement of the child, which shall be sworn to before any officer of the CHR authorized to administer oath. f. The CHR investigating officer may seek the assistance of an interpreter whom the child can understand and who understands the child. In case the child is a deaf-mute, the services of an interpreter or expert in sign language clearly understood by the said child shall be necessary; n. The investigating officer should ensure that information gathered involving a child in conflict with law shall be treated with confidentiality, including the case records. The disclosure of confidential records may only be done upon Order of the Court. g. Under any situation, the investigating officer shall ensure the protection of the right to privacy of the child. There should be privacy when interviewing a child to enable her to be open so as not to hinder the ascertainment of truth; o. Even media shall not be allowed to interview or take the child’s photo, as provided in the “Guide for Media Practitioners in the Reportage and Coverage of Cases Involving Children.” nor would they be allowed to access the records of the child. h. Gaining the child’s trust may take time. Hence, it is very important for the investigating officer to be patient with children. Never force the child to share when the latter is not ready to participate in the process of investigation; p. Ensure that the child is detained only as a last resort. Should the investigating officer finds that the child is detained in jail rather than placed in Bahay Pag Asa or under the custody of parents/guardians as required under R.A. 9344 as amended by R.A. 10630, he/she should immediately make interventions and recommend that the child be placed in custody other than detention in jails, for the best interest of the child. i. The investigating officer shall respect the child’s personality even if she is alleged to be a CICL; therefore he/she shall treat the child also as a victim and a person of worth and dignity; j. Treat the child with consideration. In no case should deceit, false promises, intimidation, threat, or harsh treatment be employed against the child during the investigation process; and k. The investigating officer shall reduce to writing the child’s statement; CHR Gender Ombud Guidelines