the allegations of the petition are true and that it is for the best interest and welfare of the child the court
shall issue an order taking him from the custody of the person or agency, as the case may be, and
committing him to the custody of another duly licensed child placement agency or individual.
The license of the agency or individual found guilty of such neglect may be suspended or revoked, as
the court may deem proper, in the same proceeding.
Article 166. Report of Maltreated or Abused Child. - All hospitals, clinics and other institutions as well
as private physicians providing treatment shall, within forty-eight hours from knowledge of the case,
report in writing to the city or provincial fiscal or to the Local Council for the Protection of Children or to
the nearest unit of the Department of Social Welfare, any case of a maltreated or abused child, or
exploitation of an employed child contrary to the provisions of labor laws. It shall be the duty of the
Council for the Protection of Children or the unit of the Department of Social Welfare to whom such a
report is made to forward the same to the provincial or city fiscal.
Violation of this provision shall subject the hospital, clinic, institution, or physician who fails to make
such report to a fine of not more than two thousand pesos.
In cases of sexual abuse, the records pertaining to the case shall be kept strictly confidential and no
information relating thereto shall be disclosed except in connection with any court or official proceeding
based on such report. Any person disclosing confidential information in violation of this provision shall
be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by
imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment,
at the discretion of the court.
Article 167. Freedom from Liability of Reporting Person or Institution. - Persons, organizations,
physicians, nurses, hospitals, clinics and other entities which shall in good faith report cases of child
abuse, neglect, maltreatment or abandonment or exposure to moral danger be free from any civil or
criminal liability arising therefrom.
CHAPTER II
Mentally Retarded, Physically Handicapped, Emotionally Disturbed and Mentally Ill Children
Article 168. Mentally Retarded Children. - Mentally retarded children are (1) socially incompetent, that
is, socially inadequate and occupationally incompetent and unable to manage their own affairs; (2)
mentally subnormal; (3) retarded intellectually from birth or early age; (4) retarded at maturity; (5)
mentally deficient as a result of constitutional origin, through hereditary or disease, and (6) essentially
incurable.
Article 169. Classification of Mental Retardation. - Mental Retardation is divided into four
classifications:
1. Custodial Group. The members of this classification are severely or profoundly
retarded, hence, the least capable group. This includes those with I.Q.s to 25.
2. Trainable Group. The members of this group consist of those with I.Q.s from about
25 to about 50; one who belongs to this group shows a mental level and rate of
development which is 1/4 to 1/2 that of the average child, is unable to acquire higher
academic skills, but can usually acquire the basic skills for living to a reasonable
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