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Press Release: |
19 December 2005
Philippine Court Convicts Human Traffickers
Judge Jesus C. Carbon, Jr. of Branch 16 of the Zamboanga City Regional Trial Court meted out the first conviction under the Anti-Trafficking Law (RA 9208) of the Philippines. Hadja Jarma Lalli, Ronnie Aringoy, and Nestor Relampagos were all sentenced to double life imprisonment for qualified trafficking in persons and illegal recruitment and made to pay a fine amounting to Php2,500 and Php100,000.00 in damages. Nestor Relampagos through remains at large while the other two are in custody.
The case stems from the recruitment of a 23 year old woman from Zamboanga city for work in Sandakan, Malaysia, as a restaurant entertainer but she instead ended up in a prostitution den in the same country. Not only was the victim offered to customers against her will but she was also not given any compensation.
There were three other convictions which involved trafficking in persons. A case was filed in Batangas but the accused pleaded guilty to a lower offense. Another person was convicted of white slavery in Butuan City. The Department of Justice announced that there are 68 more cases pending trial while 80 are currently under investigation.
Consul General Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez said that Òthese developments send a strong signal to traffickers that the government is serious in stamping out this criminal offense.Ó
ÒWe who are in a position to help must do all we can together with our friends and partners in the international community to stem this new form of slavery that is victimizing and destroying the lives of our youth, she added.Ó
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