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Life Sentence for Perpetrator in Philippines Trafficking Case
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Tuesday, 15 July 2008

MANILA, PHILIPINES – On June 30, 2008, a perpetrator convicted of trafficking for sexual exploitation was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay damages to her victims, who were represented by IJM Manila’s legal team. The sentence marks the Philippines’ 11th conviction for human trafficking since the country’s anti-trafficking legislation came into effect in 2003. “This conviction is a clear statement that the trafficking of minors is simply unacceptable in the Philippines,” explains Carmela Andal-Castro, Director of IJM Manila.

At the conclusion , the judge convicted the accused of hiring and trafficking seven female victims – two of them minors – for sexual exploitation and prostitution, in violation of the Philippines’ Anti-Trafficking in Persons Acts of 2003 (RA 9208). According to Philippine law, if at least one victim in a trafficking case is a minor, the perpetrator is guilty of “qualified trafficking,” and the crime is punished with a higher penalty than ordinary trafficking in persons.

This conviction is a clear statement that the trafficking of minors is simply unacceptable in the Philippines.
– Carmela Andal-Castro / Director, IJM Manila
The perpetrator was arrested on March 8, 2005 by local law enforcement when she was caught transporting seven girls and young women to Sabang Puerto Galera, a beach town three and a half hours from Manila. The girls had originally been promised jobs as waitresses and discovered that the perpetrator was transporting them for sexual exploitation after they were already in her control.

However, responsive law enforcement effectively protected the victims: “In this landmark case, the justice system was able to prevent the exploitation of these minors before the perpetrator was able to sell them for sex,” notes Carmela Andal-Castro, the Director of IJM Manila.

IJM Manila will continue to partner with local authorities to ensure that the Philippines’ laws protect those vulnerable to human trafficking.

 
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