German, live-in partner face raps for trafficking

CEBU, Philippines - The prosecutor’s office elevated to the court the trafficking case against a German national and his live-in partner for allegedly conniving with each other to “sell” the live-in partner’s teenage daughter for sexual purposes.

Prosecutor Simaco Labata recommended the filing of cases before the court against the couple whom the police arrested at the corner of Pelaez and Sanciangko Streets, Cebu City last August 8.

Labata, after a thorough evaluation of the evidence, finds these enough to indict the respondents for violation of the anti-human trafficking law.

The German national, whose name is withheld because of the nature of the case, is also being charged for resistance and disobedience to a person in authority. Labata, however, dismissed the complaint for violence against women and children.

The recommended bail for the two accused are P60,000 each for child abuse but no bail is recommended for human trafficking.

In the joint-affidavit of the members of the Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RATTF), they stated that on August 8, 2012 at around 10:00 a.m. they received a call from a barangay official of Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City for an alleged trafficking in persons.

After the briefing, the police said they then conducted a rescue operation of the victim at around 8:00 p.m. and were able to arrest the two accused.

In her affidavit, the 14-year-old girl said that before she arrived in their school in Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City on August 8, 2012, her mother and her mother’s live-in partner were looking for her at around 6:00 a.m.

She said while they were talking with her teacher at around 7:00 a.m., the two accused arrived and entered their school premises, prompting her to hide.

“I ran because I was afraid that the accused will take me with them and bring me to the Colon area and sell me to customers for sex in exchange for money just like what they did to my elder sister,” the affidavit reads.

The 14-year-old said she left their house and stayed at the house of her grandmother sometime in June 2012 because she wants to have a brighter future.

She added that there’s no good future awaiting her if she continued living with her mother and her mother’s live-in partner.

“I don’t want to go back and live with the German national and my mother,” the affidavit further reads.

She added that together with her grandmother, they coordinated with the police to rescue her other siblings. She likewise said her mother and her mother’s live-in partner were “drug users.”

The 14-year old said her other siblings were being sold by her mother.     - THE FREEMAN