Skip to main content

NegOr strengthens anti-trafficking, VAWC drive

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, April 19 (PIA) -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) here has been building up one case of online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) that occurred in Jimalalud last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was reported by Prosecutor Emylou Bendanillo of the Provincial Prosecutor's Office in a meeting of the Provincial Committee on Anti-Trafficking-Violence Against Women & Their Children (PCAT-VAWC) where member-agencies shared their undertakings against  trafficking in person (TIP).

In an initial investigation, Bendanillo said the alleged trafficker received P10,000 per digital show session from the clients, but paid the child victim only P100.

Bendanillo revealed that OSEC cases increased by 226% as the country is battling the COVID-9 pandemic.

The prosecutor also reported that two minors aged 15 and 17 years old from Bindoy and Bacong towns, respectively, were recruited and brought to Manila to work as househelpers.

The case against the alleged trafficker is now filed in court.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also reported two cases of minors aged 14 and 19 from Amlan town and Siquijor who were trafficked to work in Dumaguete City and Manila, respectively.

The case is now handled by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Labor Officer Sandra Delfin of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shared that her office also received complaints from three minors being verbally and physically abused, deprived of food, and receiving low salary from their employers.

Delfin said DOLE has taken interventions on the reported cases and sent the minors to their respective homes, while providing one victim a livelihood project.

Traffickers reportedly lure children, especially those from disadvantaged or poor families, with the promise of opportunity amid the pandemic.

With this, Bendanillo called on partner agencies to intensify their protective services and proposed to hold an investigative or forensic interview to ensure that children are safe from any abuse and exploitation. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

POPCOM7 strengthens KATROPA implementation in CV LGUs

  (Center left) Board of Director KATROPA Danao City Federation, Juan Capuno Jr. and POPCOM KATROPA Focal Person, Roberto Yana (Center right) CEBU CITY, Cebu, March 1 (PIA) -- The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) Region 7 is strengthening the implementation of Kalalakin-an nga Tinud-anay sa ilang Responsibilidad og Obligasyon sa Pamilya (KATROPA) in the local government units (LGUs). During the Kapihan sa PIA, KATROPA Focal Person Roberto Yana disclosed that they aim to educate the male population of their responsibilities in the family, especially on their roles as son, husband, and father.  Members undergo a training of trainers to have a wholistic understanding of their roles and responsibilities in family planning. Yana explained that they accept members as young as 15 years old so they would be educated on community development, livelihood, and responsible parenthood.  In the same forum, Board of Director of the KATROPA Danao City Fede...

DSWD implements full online processing of minor travel clearance

  CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas has announced that applications for minors traveling abroad are now exclusively processed online. Starting February 2025, the Centralized Processing Office – Minors Traveling Abroad (CPO-MTA) will process applications exclusively through its online platform at mta.dswd.gov.ph. DSWD7 Children Sector focal person Ligaya Dael said the shift to online processing aims to streamline the issuance of travel clearances for minors. “We can provide assistance on the online application process if they go to our office since it is still in a transition period but it is still online,” Dael said during the recent Kapihan sa PIA forum. She explained that a Minor Travel Abroad (MTA) clearance is required when a child travels outside the country without their biological or adoptive parents, or legal guardians. “Ang tuyo ug tumong aning pagkuha sa travel clearance is para jud sa ilang proteksyon kay k...

EMB 7 creates composite team for water sampling

The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 of the Department of Environment Natural Resources Central Visayas on Tuesday, Dec. 28, has created a composite team for water sampling in the different parts of the region affected by Typhoon "Odette" (International name: Rai). The EMB 7 deployed two teams conducting ambient water sampling in the Northern Cebu (Liloan area, Consolacion, Mandaue and Mactan Coastal Area) and Southern Cebu (Cebu Port Area, Talisay, Naga and San Fernando). The bureau said the first two samples from Punta EngaƱo near Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu and Umapad, Mandaue City near the bridge and Petron) taken last Dec. 23 and 24 were brought to Ostrea Laboratory since the EMB laboratory cannot analyze due to no electricity. The office is still awaiting the result for these two samples which will be available by Wednesday, Dec 29.  It said the other samples taken on Tuesday will also be brought to Ostrea laboratory, an accredited laboratory of EMB 7. (ID...