Government forms anti-human trafficking task force

After the defunct Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force (PAIRTF) now comes the Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas announced yesterday the government is now setting up a new task force to replace the PAIRTF headed by former police official Reynaldo Jaylo.

Instead of extending the life of PAIRTF, Sto. Tomas said, the government opted to set up an inter-agency anti-human trafficking task force with stronger police powers.

"We are linking up the new task force to a law enforcement agency and the Department of Justice to ensure arrest and prosecution of people behind illegal deployment of workers abroad," Sto. Tomas said.

Sto. Tomas noted the government’s effort against illegal recruitment agencies have been put to waste in the past because the suspects were able to escape prosecution due to technicalities.

Labor officials said that during its one-year existence, PAIRTF made numerable arrests of big-time illegal recruiters, including foreign nationals. — Mayen Jaymalin