17 of 106 convicted human traffickers nationwide came from Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines - Seventeen out of 106 people convicted so far for human trafficking nationwide came from Cebu, based on the data of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.

The ICAT data shows that all convicts were made to suffer the penalty of life imprisonment. The data also shows that for Cebu convicts a total of P20 million fines were awarded by the courts to the victims. The data is from 2003 to January 2013.

ICAT noted that in the past administration there were only 30 people convicted of human trafficking. In the present administration there were already 76 people convicted from July 1, 2010 to January 7, 2013.

In line with this development, the principal authors of the anti-trafficking law hailed the Aquino administration for signing into law this month the Republic Act No. 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking Act of 2012 which amended Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

Former Las Piñas Rep. cynthia Villar in a press statement sent to The FREEMAN said that the expanded law would send a very strong signal to human trafficking syndicates that the government is serious on this campaign.

“Kailangan ng kooperasyon ng lahat ng sektor ng lipunan upang labanan ang human trafficking and illegal recruitment, said Villar, who is one of the authors of RA 9208.

Villar is likewise calling ICAT to conduct information campaign about the new expanded law.

Senator Loren Legarda, principal sponsor of the measure, said that the move is a significant step towards eradicating and effectively controlling the scourge that trafficking inflicts upon Filipinos.

“I am happy that the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act is now a law. This speaks much of President Aquino’s strong resolve to address the problem of human trafficking, which has victimized many Filipinos especially innocent women and children,” said Legarda, in a separate statement. —/FPL (FREEMAN)