DAVAO CITY--- The lack of witnesses to prosecute
illegal traffickers is hampering the drive against human trafficking.
This according to Assistant Regional Prosecutor
Atty. Ritzel Rabor-Polinar during the monthly Kapehan sa NCCC press forum held
today (Nov. 6) at the NCCC Mall in Davao City.
Atty Rabor-Polinar together with some members of
the Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) at the media forum as part
of the information campaign in the occasion of the Human Trafficking Awareness
Month.
The lady prosecutor said that there are several
factors which can weaken a human trafficking case. One of which is holding the
witnesses.
Polinar said that the relationship between the
witnesses and the accused particularly if they are relatives is one of the
reasons why witnesses are reluctant to testify.
She cited a case against child pornography where
the accused is the aunt of the victim/witness.
According to Department of Justice data of the
85 anti-trafficking cases filed from 2004 up to the present there are 85 cases
filed of which 11 were dismissed due to lack of evidence and lack witnesses.
About 52 cases are still active with 11
convictions and one acquittal.
The year 2014 was the busiest in the filing of
anti-trafficking cases with 20 cases filed in the court.
The 85 cases involves 123 victims of which 68
are female children, 44 female adults, eight male children and three mala
adults.
About 82 of the cases involve sexual
exploitation while the other three are forced labor cases. (PIA/RG Alama)
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