MANILA - A couple suspected of leading a syndicate on human trafficking for purposes of prostitution was arrested by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after victimizing a 14-year-old female.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima met with the victim this (April 4) morning at the office of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) at the Department of Justice(DOJ).

IACAT is the government body that coordinates and monitors the implementation of Republic Act No. 9208, or the Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, with the DOJ as the lead agency.

"What the national inter-agency task force against human trafficking did led by Prosecutor Jonathan Lledo, along with NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and PNP (Philippine National Police) was to rescue this minor. We cannot disclose the identity of the minor because of the prohibition under the law but this is one clear example that the problem is real, that the problem of minors, of girls being lured into prostitution and into human trafficking is very real," de Lima said.

"Iniintensify lang namin ang efforts to go after establishments and go after recruiters of these minors. This couple will be charged today, will be inquested today for qualified trafficking," she added.

The victim was rescued by NBI operatives from the suspects' residence in Tandang Sora, Quezon City last Saturday.

She was reported abducted by her mother since last March 27, an information that reached Secretary de Lima and Social Welfare and Deveopment Secretary Corazon Soliman. De Lima and Soliman co-chair the IACAT.

Biggest manhunt operation

IACAT national task force chief Assistant City Prosecutor Jonathan Lledo told ABS-CBN News manhunt operations were immediately ordered by de Lima involving over a hundred operatives - the biggest in the history of IACAT. It included NBI operatives, Philippine National Police-Isabela and National Capital Region (NCR), and the PNP's Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER).

The victim was reportedly first taken to Isabela province where she was made to accommodate male "customers" for a fee of P1,200 to P2,000 per "customer". Then she was brought to Lower Bicutan, Taguig City and finally, to Quezon City.

Her whereabouts was monitored by the NBI and PNP because she managed to send text messages to her family.

The victim's mother was contacted last Saturday by the female suspect demanding money for the release of the minor. They agreed to meet at a mall in Quezon City on the same night where the suspect was handed an undisclosed amount of marked money as an "act of goodwill."

Upon verification that the victim was in the custody of the suspect and her husband, the NBI moved in on her. The suspect brought operatives to her residence where the minor was rescued.

Charges for violation of Republic Act(RA) 9208, otherwise known as the "Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003" and RA 7610 also known as "Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act" are set to be filed against the suspects today.

Trafficking watchlist

Anti-human trafficking efforts are among the priority of the DOJ after the Philippines was downgraded from Tier-1 to Tier-2 Watchlist in 2008 by the United States (US) State Department for its perceived low conviction rate of human traffickers.

The US State Department will release in June its latest report ranking some 170 countries based on the tier ranking system.

If the Philippines slides further in the list, the influx of humanitarian and non-trade aid into the country may be affected.

Being in the watchlist for 2 consecutive years means an automatic downgrade to Tier-3, unless granted a waiver by the US Secretary of State.