RP, UK forging extradition treaty

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and the United Kingdom (UK) have begun discussions on a planned extradition treaty targeting pedophiles and other sex offenders.

“This is the very early stage of discussion. We want to put in place an extradition treaty that would (make) bringing offenders back to UK simpler. We received encouragement from the Philippines,” said Margaret Patricia Munn, British Foreign Office Minister for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, at a press conference at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Munn said there are 80,000 British nationals visiting the Philippines annually.

The visiting British official met with Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral to discuss the proposed extradition treaty.

Britain has listed over 5,000 to 6,000 known pedophile tourists. India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Philippines, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and some Arab countries are the most favored destinations of sex tourists.

Munn also praised the Philippines for its call for democratic reforms in Burma, renamed Myanmar by the ruling junta. “We welcome the position taken by the Philippines in Burma,” Munn said.

President Arroyo said during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Singapore in November that the Senate might have difficulty ratifying the ASEAN Charter if a member could not institute democratic reforms. Six ASEAN members – Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam – have already ratified the charter.

The Philippines is expected to ratify the ASEAN Charter that will give legal personality to the regional bloc in time for the summit in Thailand in December.

Meanwhile, Munn said the UK recognizes the progress made by the Philippines in addressing the issue of extrajudicial killings.

The Philippines recently defended its human rights record before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) saying human rights promotion is a major government thrust.

The government reported to the UN that killings of activists and members of the media have dramatically declined since 2006.