By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
NORTHERN Mindanao is has been placed under tight watch because of the increasing cases of trafficking in persons, prosecutors disclosed here on Friday.
Officials are worried about the situation in Region 10 because the cases have steadily been rising despite the anti-human trafficking efforts that have been given acknowledged by the US State Department.
Prosecutor Darlene Pajarito, executive director of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (Iacat), told participants to the “Duty-Bearers on Trafficking in Person” here that the country has fully complied with the minimum standards for the elimination of severe forms of trafficking as provided under the United States Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000. This is the highest ranking a country can receive.
She said the country was also recognized as No. 1 in Asia, and third in the Asia Pacific by the Australia-based Global Slavery Initiated by Walk Free Foundation.
“The Tier-1 ranking reflects the individual accomplishments as well as the collective efforts of all our partners in government, civil society and relevant stakeholders. United as a nation, with a singular goal to surely even if a tad slow, put an end to modern-day slavery and all forms of exploitation,” Pajarito said.
She said, “We guarantee that this report will serve as an inspiration for our government to continue and advance its mandate to protect the Filipino people from the clutches of human trafficking, whether here or abroad.”
Iacat is the body created by law to coordinate and monitor the implementation of RA 9208, otherwise known as the “Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.”
Regional State Prosecutor Jaime Umpa said remarkable human trafficking cases happened in northern Mindanao, and prosecution was successful.
Records showed that in Northern Mindanao alone, the number of victims reached 208. The total number of perpetrators was 161. There are 13 pending rescue or repatriation cases.
Bukidnon topped the list with 39 cases since 2006. Cagayan de Oro ranked second with 32.
Lanao del Norte has 14 cases while Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental have seven cases each.
Umpa said that with the creation of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Task Force headed by Prosecutor Merlynn Uy, they can ensure that all human trafficking cases would be pursued and handled properly.
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