THE Philippine Navy yesterday said 123 victims of human trafficking were rescued in Pangutaran town in Sulu on Tuesday.
The Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) said the victims, who are mostly residents of Cebu and Bohol, were allegedly subjected to forced labor by their handlers and recruiters.
NFWM spokesman Ensign Niño Fernando Cunanan said the victims were rescued during a raid conducted by a joint team composed of Navy, PNP and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) personnel at Tubalubac Island, Barangay Aluh Bunah in Pangutaran town.
Cunanan said at least 16 recruiters and handlers of the victims, led by one Jammang, were able to escape before the arrival of the authorities after reportedly getting a tip about the operation.
Cunan said Jammang’s group is in possession of high-powered firearms.
“According to reports, the rescued victims were mostly from Cebu and Bohol and were subjected to forced labor, particularly in spearfishing,” said Cunanan.
“Further, they were forced into using illegal drugs, specifically shabu, to endure their work conditions,” he added.
Seized during the raid were nine improvised blasting caps, four meters of time fuse, 536 rounds of assorted ammunition, three magazines, and 10 clips.
Also seized from the house of Jammang were 10 grams of shabu.
Cunan said NFWM commander Rear Adm. Donn Anthony Miraflor commended the personnel for their efforts “in combating human trafficking activities in the Western Mindanao region.”
“The successful operation serves as a testament to the dedication and commitment of NFWM to protect vulnerable individuals from human traffickers, ultimately working towards a safer and more secure future for the community,” said Cunanan.
Cunanan said the 123 victims are now under the care of the BARMM-Ministry of Social Services and Development “for documentation and necessary support.”
He also said the confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Criminal-Sulu Provincial Field Unit “for documentation and proper disposition.”
Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty yesterday said government efforts to stop human and sex trafficking has been hampered by the refusal of some social media platforms to cooperate in the investigations.
Ty said that while the government has made big strides in its effort to stamp out human and sex trafficking, there is still much work to be done, including making sure that social media platforms are adhering to their obligation.
“Regular ang koordinasyon namin sa mga social media platforms though medyo challenging kasi hindi naman sila based sa Pilipinas. Halimbawa ang Meta sa US yan (We have regular coordination with the social media platforms, though it is somewhat challenging since they are not based here. For example, Meta is based in the US),” Ty, who is also the undersecretary in charge of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), said during the “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” public briefing.
“May obligasyon ang mga social media platforms (Social media platforms are obliged) to take down those contents and to preserve data that can be used as evidence,” he added.
Ty clarified that the IACAT’s problem lies more with small social media platforms or applications, such as Telegram, noting that some of the syndicates or individuals involved in the illegal activities use the less-monitored communication applications to perpetrate their activities.
“Ang challenge is í½ung maliliit na app like Telegram. Unlike sa Meta, Twitter o Google, sa Telegram kasi halos wala kaming makausap diyan (The challenge for us is on small apps like Telegram. Unlike with Meta, Twitter or Google, we have almost no one to talk to at Telegram),’’ he added.
In the case of telecommunications companies, Ty said they are fully cooperating with the government in the campaign to stop human and sex trafficking crimes.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has earlier warned Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that if they refused to cooperate in tracking down abusers, particularly of minors, the government may go after and sue them for online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Under Republic Act 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, ISPs are required to install a software that will block access to or transmittal of any form of child pornography on the internet.
The said law also requires ISPs to notify authorities within seven days from discovery that any form of child pornography is being committed using their servers or facilities. — With Ashzel Hachero
