U.S. Sanctions for no action against trafficking?
The comments of Raul C. Pangalangan on Philippine tourism (PDI 25/06/04) are relevant and to the point in explaining the massive downturn in Philippine tourism and the subsequent of loss of jobs. What is driving away hundreds of thousands of scenic and cultural seeking tourists is the rampant sex tourism where children are targeted by foreign perverts and paedophiles with impunity.
The Inquirer has unfailingly reported in recent months the shocking abuse of children trafficked from impoverished provinces to Angeles City and Puerto Galera by local traffickers. They are sold to clubs and rented out to foreign sex tourists to be sexually abused.
The government is failing to stop it according to the U.S. Department of State report on trafficking of women and children issued 14th June.
The Philippines is on Tier 2 Watch List after which economic sanctions could be imposed if no improvement is met "due to the (Philippine) government's failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking, particularly in terms of its weak implementation of the anti-trafficking law and a lack of progress in law enforcement," the report says.
In the shocking sex scandal in Puerto Galera, most of the children were abandoned despite the offer of NGOs to protect and shelter them. Only four children out of 25 victims, some as young as eight years old, were rescued in Puerto Galera following the Inquirer expose. None of the suspects are on trial. We are told by the DSWD officials the victims are getting therapy in their homes. They live on an island and remote beaches infested by sex tourists. Some therapy at that!
Recently, PREDA Foundation, an Olongapo-based NGO, tracked down 58-year old Barry Raymond Edwards- a suspected British serial child rapist after alleged rape charges were summarily dismissed by the Angeles prosecutor despite strong video evidence showing him abusing children. He told a GMA-7 reporter that they were "private." The NGO paid all the expenses to have him arrested in Puerto Galera. He denies the charges. Another big time British sex club operator, Richard Agnew, was deported for allegedly hiring minors in his string of Angeles clubs but has returned to the Philippines with the connivance of corrupt immigration officials. He denied all wrongdoing.
What message does this send to the world other than officials support sex tourism and allow our little children to be trained to do sex acts on foreigners?
Corruption in the Philippines is well known abroad through the Inquirer's website and television documentary reports. The Philippines is marked by Unicef and other international organizations as a sex tourist and paedophile destination. The U.S. Department of State report makes it clear little is being done to implement the child and women protection law.
There will be no renaissance of Philippine tourism industry until corruption is curbed, sex tourism is outlawed, paedophiles are brought to justice and the dignity and rights of women and children are held sacred and given the respect they deserve.
Fr. Shay Cullen, mssc
People's Recovery Empowerment Development Assistance Foundation (PREDA)
Upper Kalaklan, Olongapo City 2200
Tel: 047 223 9629 to 30
Fax: 047223 9628 / 047 222 5573
Website: www.preda.org
www.preda.net
