US not ecstatic over Philippines score vs human trafficking

DAVAO CITY—United States Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas expressed impatience over the country’s performance in curbing the problem of trafficking in persons, saying there was no reason for the government to “drink champagne” over the 25 cases it has so far resolved.

“(A)re we satisfied with 25? Is 25 something that we should be proud about? Is this something to celebrate? That is what I ask. Is it something we have to applaud? It is not. And I am not attacking you because this (human trafficking) is a global challenge,” Thomas in his speech before judges and prosecutors who gathered here Thursday for a seminar on combating human trafficking.

“Yes, we have made progress but we cannot drink champagne,” he added.

“It behoves me to be honest with you but it does not matter what I say because this is your country. It is not my country. It is your country. We are only here to help,” Thomas said.

This was the ambassador’s reaction to reports that 25 cases related to human trafficking were resolved in the country in 2010. In 2009, only 15 cases were resolved.

The cases resolved, he said, showed that the Philippine judiciary is improving.

“These were achieved because of the significant changes in the legal system,” he said referring to the 180 days imposed by the law in which cases of human trafficking are to be solved.

Before this, Thomas met with officials of the antitrafficking advocacy group Visayan Forum and some trafficking victims.

“Most of them (victims) were for domestics. But we know that there were some of them who were trafficked for sexual purposes.

Thomas received information that a ship suspected of trafficking in persons would be coming in and would be taking some people.

The challenge, he said, is for authorities to make sure that the ports are well guarded and to ensure that no one gets onboard and end up somewhere and later abused.

“For something as important as trafficking in human beings for labor, domestics and sexual exploitation, we have to be honest,” he said.

Thomas, however, said that the government must remedy the problem behind human trafficking which is lack of livelihood and employment.

He narrated the story told to him by some Filipino women  who were supposed to go to Bahrain as domestics, but expressed fear they might end up sexually exploited by their employers.

“I asked why and they said they were afraid they might be sexually abused… but they have no opportunity to get a job in the Philippines. And we meet people like them everyday. Don’t they deserve equal opportunity?” said Thomas.

“So it is up for us, in the United States, to help you with your progress. But we cannot do it alone. We need your help. Your fellow Filipinos need your help. Please help these young boys and girls,” he said.

Justice Adolfo Azcuna, chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy, agreed with the observation made by Thomas.

“Human trafficking is bad. It is a form of human rights violation… I agree that the Philippines must make improvements and we are grateful for the support that they (the US government) is extending to the Philippines for us to fight trafficking in persons,” Azcuna said.

Davao Judge Virgina Europa said the judges and the prosecutors who attended the seminar vowed they would help in “curbing or totally eliminating trafficking in persons cases.”

She said trafficking in humans is common in the southern part of the country, particularly the island provinces of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi—because of their proximity to Malaysia and Indonesia.