Senate OK’s Bill vs Trafficking of Women, Kids
Published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer
April 17, 2003
A LANDMARK measure that will criminalize the act of trafficking in
persons, especially women and children, locally or internationally,
has been approved on third and final reading by the Senate.
Senate Bill 2444 or
the Anti-Trafficking Act of 2003 covers penalties for such offenses as
prostitution, sexual exploitation and slavery.
The Senate passed the
Anti-Trafficking Act after hurdling the periods of interpellation and
amendments, paving the way for a comprehensive definition of trafficking in
persons. Trafficking is now defined as the
"recruitment, transfer, provision, harboring, receipt or deployment of
person for the purpose of forced labor, slavery, sexual exploitation,
involuntary servitude, debt bondage, physical and other forms of abuse,
removal or sale of organs or involvement in armed activities or other
similar acts."
The National
Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) hailed the bill as a victory for women who worked hard for its passage.
The agency is under the Office
of the President and was at the forefront of the
campaign of the bill.
"We are thankful to
the Senate committee on women, youth and the family relations chair Luisa "Loi" Estrada and Senate President
Franklin Drilon for crafting a
progressive anti-trafficking law to effectively combat trafficking in persons, especially women and children,
provide timely assistance to
trafficked victims and prosecute traffickers,"
said NCRFW chairperson Aurora Javate-de Dios
Non-government
organizations, led by the Zonta Club of Makati and Environs, worked hand in hand with the NCRFW for the passage
of the bill.
Other NGOs were
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Women LEAD,
Women's Legal Bureau, Third World Movement Against Exploitation of
Women, Women's Health, Samaritana, Buklod-Olongapo, and Trade Union
Congress of the Philippines.
Aside from the NCRFW,
government agencies such as the Commission of
Filipinos Overseas, Department of Social Welfare and Development,
Commission on Human Rights, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department
of Labor and Employment and the
National Anti-poverty Commission took the
lead in the campaign.
The Anti-Trafficking
Act provides for a penalty ranging from 20 years
imprisonment to life imprisonment and fine from P1 million to 5 million
for offenders.
Under the approved
bill, traffickers shall suffer the maximum penalty if the victim was a child; or if the victim died or incurred
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV) or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
(AIDS); or if the offender was related to the victim.
The measure will
likewise provide for the protection and rehabilitation
of survivors by according them temporary shelter, health care, legal
assistance and counseling to victims.
The House of Representatives approved HB 4432 championed by House committee on women chair Josefina Joson in May 2002. Bicameral discussion on the Anti-Trafficking Act is scheduled when Congress resumes session this month.
Global News Wire
