Pimp gets 30 years in prison

MANILA, Philippines - The government’s campaign against the prostitution and trafficking of boys scored its first victory with the recent conviction of a pimp by a Manila regional trial court, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) announced over the weekend.

Albert Sanchez was found guilty of three counts of sexual abuse and violation of Republic Act 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act) last week and was sentenced to imprisonment of over 30 years, according to IACAT acting chair and Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor.

“The cooperation and commitment of everyone to secure justice for the victims made this conviction possible. It is the objective of the department and its partners to put an end to human trafficking and that justice be served to those who engage in such acts,” Blancaflor said.

Records show that authorities, with the help of International Justice Mission (IJM) and Detection Group, Women’s and Children Division, arrested Sanchez on Sept. 13, 2005 and rescued three boys from his custody.

The operation was carried out a month after it was found that he was recruiting local underage boys to engage in prostitution with gay clients, including foreign pedophiles.

It was also established during the trial that he was also sexually abusing the boys himself. Two of the victims took the witness stand and their testimonies were used as basis for his conviction.

Blancaflor said Sanchez’s case is the first conviction involving trafficking and prostitution of boys in the country and the third successful conviction of human trafficking case for this year.

He stressed that while the case had many setbacks during its four-year trial, it gave “encouragement to us all to persevere in the work of justice.”

IJM director in Manila Carmela Andal–Castro, in a statement, also welcomed the conviction.

“This is a victory that we celebrate with the DOJ and all our partners in the anti-trafficking community. It is one step forward in the battle against sex trafficking,” she stressed.

IJM is a human rights agency that promotes justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other violent oppressions. Their lawyer, investigators and professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote public justice systems.

Since 2001, IJM investigators and lawyers have worked with government partners and non-government organizations to rescue 186 victims, arrest 133 suspects, close down 24 bars and convict eight persons involved in trafficking.