RP authorities collude with human trafficking syndicates -- US
Posted at 06/15/2010 7:01 PM | Updated as of 06/15/2010 9:20 PM
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announces the release of the 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2010. [US State Department photo/ Public Domain]
MANILA, Philippines - The latest US State Department report on human trafficking has identified corruption in government and the collusion between authorities and syndicates among the factors to the unsuccessful prosecution of cases.
At the same time, the State Department’s 2010 Trafficking in Persons report also takes to task Philippine Congress for failing to allocate funds to combat human trafficking.
The Philippines remains in the Tier 2 “watch list” of countries that “do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.”
Although the report notes “progress in convicting sex trafficking offenders,” it points out that the “vast majority of initiated trafficking prosecutions are usually unsuccessful” because of lack of political will and corruption.
“Corruption remained pervasive in the Philippines and there were reports that officials in government units and agencies assigned to enforce laws against human trafficking permitted trafficking offenders to conduct illegal activities…. It is widely believed that some government officials partner with traffickers and organized trafficking syndicates,” the report said.
The report did not cite any particular example of government officials colluding with traffickers, but mentioned the case of an immigration officer caught facilitating the illegal movement of domestic workers to Malaysia.
Funding is key
Newsbreak, in an investigative report in March last year, detailed the web of corruption involving law enforcers, govern officials, and those in the judiciary to scuttle human trafficking cases.
Indications or suspicions of corruption have prompted some of the victims to desist from pursuing the cases or to stop cooperating with the authorities.
The US report says protection for the victims is severely hampered—either for lack of concern and or lack of budget from the authorities.
The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking or IACAT coordinates the anti-human trafficking campaign, in partnership with non-government and civil society groups. IACAT is composed of government agencies, with the Department of Justice as head of the body.
However, IACAT is only a policy-making body at best, with no specific funding for its operations.
The US State Department report notes this. It observes that Congress did not allocate funding this year for IACAT “in a notable failing of political support for the nation’s anti-trafficking effort.”
It added: “Member agencies also failed to earmark funding for the IACAT, but did allocate staff resources, personnel time, and funding for specific IACAT initiatives.”
In a previous interview, a justice official observed that IACAT’s efforts are not fully explored because of lack of funding. Attempts to propose budgets for the body was met with lukewarm response from lawmakers.
In its recommendation, the Trafficking in Persons report pushes for government to “demonstrate greater progress on efficiently investigating, prosecuting and convicting both labor and sex trafficking offenders” and to “increase efforts to investigate and prosecute government officials complicit in trafficking.” - abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak
Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
Share your views
Jake-assJaloslosjosjos PALOS
Wala koy paki sa imo tsoy. Dili na kinahanglan makabalo ang publiko kon kinsa ka bai. Hanginon sad ka bai duna kunoy balay, kotse ug negosyo siguro night club sa mga burikat ug bayot diha sa Junquera St. LOL Wala sad unod imong mga comment puro mga bukog lang. Dili ko mag-usik ug panahon nimo bai ang katapat nimo mga bayot ug tsismosa lang amaw maot HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA...
@ Smagul
LOL! Preemptive strike ni bai.. You know that idiot will be here to read this crap.
lol
Sa pikas, bai....hahaha
@ Psylom
Wow! you really are in denial.. I’m not an American you dumb f*ck. I live in Cebu and I’ve never been to the U.S.
I could care less about what the U.S. has done. So, spare me the history lesson cause I just don’t care. Again, I just don’t care about what the Americans have done in their history. What they have done in their history and what you’re rambling about what they did to the Ozone (China has the higher Carbon emission by the way – so check your facts stupid), or in Iraq is irrelevant to the issue of human trafficking and corruption in the Philippines. The issue here is not about U.S. history. The issue and the question is, IS THERE A HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CORRUPTION PROBLEM IN THE PHILIPPINES? YES, OUR COUNTRY IS INFESTED BY CORRUPT OFFICIALS. What’s your answer to that? Yes, it’s real. If you think otherwise, then you’re just another ignorant prick.
Our government doesn’t listen to us the ordinary citizens when we call them out of issues like corruption. When foreign countries especially a powerful ally calls our government out for being corrupt, our government gets embarrassed and is likely to do something. A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T SEE THROUGH THEIR OWN PROBLEMS UNTIL SOMEONE TELLS THEM THEY HAVE A PROBLEM!
On the other hand, why do I expect so much of you knowing you have a very very tiny brain that you don't see the real picture of the problems in the Philippines. YOU BASHING CLINTON AND THE AMERICANS DOESN’T SOLVE AND HIDE THE FACTS THAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CORRUPTION IS A PROBLEM PLAGUING THE PHILIPPINES. INSTEAD OF RANTING ABOUT THE AMERICANS, WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IS SHARE YOUR OPINION ON HOW THE PROBLEMS IN OUR COUNTRY CAN BE SOLVED. Again, your rant against Clinton doesn’t hide the problems in our country nor does it solve it.
Wake up and smell the smoky mountains dude. If you can smell the stench of the streets of country, you know we have a big f*cking problem. And you’re talking about being proud? Proud of what? The Philippines being corrupt?