Sun.Star: Human traffickers rarely punished

Only eight convictions or two convictions per year of the 200 cases filed in violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act were reported since the law was enacted four years ago Human trafficking or trafficking in persons, which refers to the recruitment, transportation, transfer or harboring or receipt of persons for the purpose of sexual and/or labor exploitation, is one of the most serious yet less discussed problems worldwide. Statistics from the Department of Justice (DOJ) showed that since 2003, 248 cases of human trafficking have been filed, of which the highest number was filed in 2005 with 114 cases. Deanna Perez, Senior State Prosecutor for DOJ and head of the Secretariat of the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT), said the slow disposition of cases in the courts contributes to the low number of convictions. A large number of the cases are still in the process of initial investigation, she said. Aside from this, some victims have withdrawn charges for fear of their lives or simply because they cannot endure the emotional stress of a trial. The government is trying to help victims push through with the cases through massive awareness programs and establishing halfway houses to shelter the victims. - Sun.Star