Cebu prosecutors lauded for success vs trafficking

CEBU, Philippines - The Secretary of the Department of Justice is all praises for the Cebu Prosecutor’s Office for its good performance in the prosecution of human trafficking cases.

Secretary Leila De Lima said the prosecutors in Cebu are heeding her department order to give priority to human trafficking cases.

“Nagiging sunod-sunod yong conviction (on human trafficking) in Cebu,” De Lima said.

De Lima, who heads the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), said that there are already 33 convictions nationwide.

De Lima said the fight against trafficking in persons such as child and women trafficking is one of the priority concerns of the current administration.

US Ambassador Harry Thomas, during his first visit to Cebu in June 24, 2010, issued a challenge to stop human trafficking.

He noted that Cebu has become a destination and transit point for people trafficked domestically as the international airport is ground zero for victims falling into the hands of traffickers abroad.

Thomas had said that the impact of human trafficking goes well beyond individual victims, as it undermines the foundations of our societies and our democracy.

The U.S. State Department recently released its annual Trafficking in Persons report and for the second straight year it indicates that the Philippine government is making efforts to eliminate trafficking.

The report highlights however the need for increased convictions of both labor and sex trafficking crimes.

Thomas said that without significant increase in its anti-trafficking efforts, the Philippines could face certain sanctions next year. Among the possible sanctions is the loss of all non-humanitarian, non-trade related foreign assistance of over $250 million or some P11.4 billion.

“It is a very big challenge on our part to increase our conviction rate and we are getting there,” de Lima said. (FREEMAN)