PARAÑAQUE CITY – Two women were pronounced guilty of trafficking minors for sexual exploitation on Nov. 27, 2008 and sentenced to each serve 20 years in prison, plus pay a fine of P1 million each. The conviction of the accused is only the 12th for this crime in the Philippines.
 
In this rare trafficking case, four female victims ranging from 14 to 16 years old from the Parañaque-Taguig areas were trafficked to Daraga, Albay in the Bicol Region and made to work against their wills as Guest Relations Officers in a bar.

In February 2007, operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti Human Trafficking Division conducted a rescue operation in Daraga, Albay after one of the trafficked victims escaped and returned to Manila. The NBI operatives, who posed as customers, immediately arrested the bar's cashier and its owner, now the convicted.

After only a year of trial, Judge Jaime M. Guray of the Regional Trial Court of Paranaque City, Branch 260, convicted the accused of receiving and trafficking victims for sexual exploitation and prostitution in violation of the “Anti-Trafficking in Persons Acts of 2003,” (RA 9208).
 
“This conviction is a clear statement that the trafficking of minors is simply unacceptable in the Philippines,” said Carmela Andal-Castro, Director of International Justice Mission (IJM), Manila. IJM is a human rights groups based in Washington, D.C. that has been in the forefront in combating the trafficking of women and children in the Philippines since 2001.
 
“This is a great example of how collaboration among the Department of Justice (DOJ), law enforcement and the non-government organization (NGO) sector can bring great results in the fight against trafficking.”
 
DOJ Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy referred the case to IJM for legal intervention and aftercare of the victims.

IJM Atty. Liwliwa Agbayani was the private prosecutor on the case under Parañaque Public Prosecutor Lamberto Fabros' direct supervision. Meanwhile, an IJM social worker provided constant assistance and support to the four girls.