Lack of funds, holding centers hampers human trafficking drive

MANILA, Philippines - The lack of operational funds and holding centers is hampering the police drive against human trafficking.

CIDG chief Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr., chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), is seeking the help of civic and corporate groups for them to temporary accommodate rescued victims of human trafficking.

Pagdilao said the CIDG’s Women and Children Protection Division (WCPD) lacks holding centers to temporarily house women rescued from prostitution dens, nightclubs and beerhouses.

“In spite of the successes of the CIDG in the fight against human trafficking, the WCPD finds it quite hard to conduct raids on establishments suspected to be fronts of prostitution and human trafficking because the CIDG has no holding area to temporarily house rescued victims while the case is being investigated for immediate filing in court,” said WCPD chief Superintendent Emma Libunao.

Libunao said her office also lacks funds to support the needs of the rescued victims while under CIDG custody.

“These concerns, including the lack of temporary detention cells for the suspects, need the collaboration of like-minded persons and organizations who are advocating against human trafficking,” she said.

For the first half of this year, the CIDG has conducted five major operations against human trafficking syndicates, arresting 17 suspects and rescuing at least 82 victims, including minors.

The operations included raids in Nasugbu, Batangas last June and on a park in Novaliches, Quezon City that resulted in the rescue of street children being sold as prostitutes, and an entrapment in a resort in Calamba, Laguna last May where 22 sex workers were rescued.

The CIDG also arrested 15 suspects who were into trafficking of children, as part of its Oplan Sagip Anghel.

The CIDG plans to intensify its crackdown on street prostitution, this being the clearest form of human trafficking.