CEBU, Philippines - Reported cases of human trafficking in Central Visayas tend to fluctuate from year to year since 2011 while slow conviction for trafficking cases was apparent.
This was disclosed in a report on human trafficking in the region presented by lawyer Lawrence Aritao, director of Legal Interventions for International Justice Mission’s Cebu Field Office, during the awareness seminar on the Anti-human Trafficking Act held yesterday at the Capitol Social Hall.
In 2011, a total of 256 cases of human trafficking were reported. Of the figure, 238 are cases of sexual exploitation while 18 are pornography with a three-year old child as the youngest victim.
This dwindled in 2012 with 213 cases of trafficking reported including forced labor (43) and sexual exploitation (170).
In 2013, cases rose again to as high as 257 with sexual exploitation (175), forced labor (58), and pornography (21).
As of August this year, at least 107 cases have been reported so far, with sexual exploitation (45), forced labor (60), and pornography (2).
Aritao, in a phone interview with The FREEMAN, said the reason behind the varying figures is being studied while justice for the trafficked victims is ensured.
The report further mentioned that trafficking is fuelled by poverty and gender discrimination.
In fact, human trafficking around the world has been a “hugely profitable practice” that generates up to $150 billion “illegal profits” annually.
In Philippines, there were 1,693 human trafficking cases recorded from 2005-2012 while the number of trafficked victims rescued by government agencies reached 16,814.
Strengthened campaigns and laws
In Cebu province, several campaigns and measures to curb human trafficking and child exploitation have been implemented.
Records showed that the municipality of Cordova recorded the highest cases of trafficking, as reported during the launching of Child Wise Tourism last year.
Child Wise Tourism program was launched in Cebu in an effort to make the public aware against child sex tourists in the country. It was highlighted by the signing of the “covenant of commitment” wherein government sectors and tourism stakeholders commit themselves to preventing commercial sexual exploitation especially on minors.
The new legislation of the province known as the 2014 Anti-Child Sex Tourism Ordinance of the Province of Cebu, which seeks to penalize child sex tourism and other acts of child exploitation, was earlier approved.
Disproportion
While strengthened laws and campaigns are being implemented, the number of convictions of human trafficking perpetrators is low compared to the number of victims.
In the same report of IJM, at least 240 suspects were charged from 2007 to 2014. However, there were only 29 convictions, so far.
Early January this year, though, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking of the Department of Justice posted through its official website that Cebu Province is leading nationwide in terms of the number of human trafficking convictions.
A total of 21 convictions with 20 persons convicted were recorded from 2005 to 2010 in the province. Of this, at least 16 convicted violators got life imprisonment, seven persons sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and one with 12 to 14 years and eight months imprisonment under the rules on juveniles.
In a report of Vera Files, DOJ issued a resolution reminding prosecutors not to dismiss human trafficking cases because “victims or their parents executed an affidavit of desistance, especially where there is evidence to establish probable cause.” — (FREEMAN)