MANILA, Philippines?Commission on Human Rights chair Loretta Rosales has defended psychologist Ma. Lourdes Carandang from attacks on her impartiality, and also defended the agency's investigation of the controversial episode of the TV show "Willing Willie".

In a statement, Rosales said the CHR decided to investigate the Willing Willie episode in which a six-year-old boy was made to dance on the show even when he was already in tears in exchange for money, not because of Carandang, but because of its own media monitoring and requests from concerned citizens.

Carandang had written to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board to condemn the treatment of the boy on the TV show. Others criticized the show for persuading the young boy to dance, and in a sexy manner, in exchange for money.

But the camp of Willing Willie host Willie Revillame has questioned Carandang's impartiality, noting that she had ties to Revillame's former network ABS-CBN.

Rosales said the CHR's investigation into the matter was part of its mandate to promote and protect children's rights.

?Even before Dr. Carandang wrote the Commission, it had already directed its staff to investigate the matter for purposes of filing the necessary charges before the Department of Justice,? Rosales said.

She said the allegations of bias against Carandang for supposedly relying on a maliciously spliced YouTube video of the show was ?misplaced and uncalled for.?

?Their sole purpose is to distract the public and the authorities from the issue?whether or not the six-year-old boy's rights were violated by what had happened to him in the Willing Willie episode. Dr. Carandang's credentials are affirmed and widely accepted by various individuals and organizations involved in child rights advocacy,? she said.

She said the video of the show speaks for itself. Nonetheless the CHR has asked for the raw and unedited footage of the show, but has so far received no response from TV5, which is where the show aired.

Rosales said that aside from investigating the Willing Willie episode, the CHR has also conducted a national inquiry on the situation of children in the context of different forms of violence inflicted on them.

She said the CHR was willing to help TV5 and other members of the broadcast industry in drafting guidelines on the appearance of children on shows.

?In drafting the guidelines, we invite you to begin by revisiting the Media Guidelines on the Reporting and Coverage of Children drafted by the Special Committee for the Protection of Children, an inter-agency body constituted under Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Filipino Children Act,? she added.

She said using sexualized images of children was a violation of their rights. There should also be an effort to avoid sensationalism and exploitation of children who are in need of assistance, she added.