7 fall in Zambo anti-human trafficking campaign

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Authorities continued to tighten the noose on human trafficking here, arresting a total of seven suspects since the start of the month.

At least 36 persons have also been freed from suspected human traffickers in various areas here since Aug. 1, said acting city police director Senior Supt. Edwin de Ocampo.

He said of the seven arrested suspects, two persons—a retired Marine and a female companion—have been detained at the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center following the filing of charges against them while two others were still being investigated and were being kept in police custody.

The rest of the arrested suspects, including a retired police official previously assigned to Tawi-Tawi and his wife, have been released from police custody due to insufficiency of evidence, De Ocampo said.

Assistant City Prosecutor Darlene Pajarito said despite the release of the retired police officer and the two other suspects, authorities were trying to gather more evidence against them.

“The couple owns the boarding house where 18 of the victims have been rescued,” she said.

Pajarito said the retired Marine, who was charged with violating the Anti-Human Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, was detailed as bodyguard of Justice Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar.

“Undersecretary Salazar informed us that we must apply the full force of the law and no special treatment will be afforded this guy,” Pajarito said.

She said the retired Marine was trying to send the 18 rescued victims—mostly from Bicol and the Visayas—to Malaysia when he and his wife were arrested. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao