Lawmen to go After 'Clients' of Child Sex

Published in The Philippine Daily Inquirer
(January 20, 2000)

DAVAO CITY — Instead of cracking down on prostituted minors and street girls engaging in, free sex, authorities here will be running after the “clients” of these children.

Leonardo Avila, action officer of the Council for the Welfare of Children, said the move was part of the city government’s changing approaches in addressing the worsening problem of prostituted children and “buntogs,” a name coined for young girls who engage in free sex and occasionally for a fee.

The Tambayan Center for Abused Street Girls, a non-government organization looldng after the buntogs, said the girls, whose ages range from 9 to 17, did not exactly engage in prostitution but have sex for money to buy food and other needs.

Tambayan, however, admitted that some of the children ended up in prostitution.

Avila said there was no sense in rounding up the girls if they did not go after the so-called clients.

The girls return to the streets once they are freed by authorities, he said.

Adults soliciting sexual favors from minors could be liable for child abuse under Republic Act 7610 or the AntiChild Exploitation law, Avila said.

There is no official figure on the number of street girls and child prostitutes in the city, but several groups advocating child rights place their number at 1,500.

The City Social Services and Development Office has reached out to only 400 of the girls.

Avila said policemen would be stationed in strategic areas in malls, parks and other public places where dealings between clients and pimps for prostituted children take place.

He refuse’ to name the “transaction’ places.

But Avila said it was difficult to recognize who among the prostitutes are minors as most of them hide behind thick make up and skimpy clothes.

“That is why our policy towards this matter is, when there is doubt (as to the age of the girls), law enforcers must accost the clients and check on the birth certificate and the background of the girl,” he said.

Avila said authorities would no longer lock up child prostitutes and street girls for violating the minors’ curfew rule, which has been protested by NGOs supporting child rights.

Jowel F. Canuday,
PDI Mindanao Bureau