Corruption, collusion, factors for failed prosecution By Michaela P. del Callar 06/16/2010

US State Dep’t Report on RP’s continued human trafficking Corruption, collusion, factors for failed prosecution By Michaela P. del Callar 06/16/2010 For the US State Department, the inability of the Philippine government to curb human trafficking and failure to prosecute such cases in court rests on endemic corruption in government and the collusion between authorities and syndicates, along with a weak judiciary. As a result, the United States has retained the Philippines on its tier two watchlist of countries that do not comply with international anti-human trafficking laws for the second straight year, citing the government’s inability to effectively prosecute trafficking crimes due to an “inefficient judicial system and widespread corruption.” In its 2010 Trafficking in Persons report released Monday (Tuesday in Manila), the US State Department said the Philippines “is a source country, and to a much lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women and children who are subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically forced prostitution and forced labor.” It said a significant number of Filipino men and women who migrate abroad for work are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude worldwide. Men, women, and children, it said, were subjected to conditions of forced labor in factories, construction sites, and as domestic workers in Asia and increasingly throughout the Middle East. “Women were subjected to sex trafficking in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and various Middle Eastern countries,” the report said.  “Within the Philippines, people were trafficked from rural areas to urban centers including Manila, Cebu, the city of Angeles, and increasingly to cities in Mindanao. Hundreds of victims are trafficked each day in well-known and highly visible business establishments. Women and children were trafficked internally for forced labor as domestic workers, small-scale factory workers, beggars, and for exploitation in the commercial sex industry,” the report stated.... MORE   Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100616hed1.html

HEADLINES Corruption, collusion, factors for failed prosecution PCOS pullout may negate poll protests — Macalintal FG defends self, GMA in non-fiction SC may rule on Bangit appointment row US gov’t attention on Noynoy highly suspicious — Miriam Davao radio journalist shot dead