Gatchalian bill seeks stronger crackdown on human trafficking amid increased online exposure

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a bill that will intensify the government's crackdown on human trafficking.

Senate Bill No. 1794 strengthens Republic Act No. 9208 as amended by Republic Act No. 10364 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012) to provide standards and guidelines on surveillance, interception, investigation, and prosecution of different forms of human trafficking, including sexual exploitation, prostitution, forced labor, slavery, removal or sale of organs, and pornography.

Gatchalian said that unscrupulous individuals use new methods and tools via the internet to perpetuate their criminal acts, especially on women and children.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture flagged that the COVID-19 pandemic increased the exposure of children to online sexual exploitation. According to the Department of Justice's Office of Cybercrime, there were 279,166 cases of Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) at the height of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital region or from March 1 to May 24. The figure is 264 percent higher than the 76,561 reported in the same period last year.

Gatchalian said that in cases involving child trafficking, the regional trial court can provide written order authorizing law enforcers to conduct surveillance and record communications and information involving persons charged with or suspected of trafficking. Law enforcers, however, should establish that a crime of trafficking has been committed, is being plotted, or taking place. Conducting surveillance without a court order is punishable by imprisonment of up to 12 years.

The proposed measure also enumerates the responsibilities of internet service providers (ISPs) and tourism-oriented establishments to report and prevent cases of trafficking. ISPs, for instance, are mandated to install available technology, program, or software to block and filter any access to any form of child pornography. One of the responsibilities of tourism-oriented establishments, on the other hand, is to train their staff to recognize signs of human trafficking crimes so they can report them to law enforcement agencies.

To consolidate all government efforts against human trafficking, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) will be reorganized to include the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Transportation (DOTr), and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). The IACAT is chaired by the Department of Justice (DOJ) while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) serves as co-chair.

According to the IACAT, 96 percent of 560 convictions related to trafficking in the Philippines from 2005 up to June this year were related to sex trafficking. Out of 1,256 victims of these cases, 715 or 57 percent are minors, 1,175 or 93 percent were females, and 81 or seven percent were males.

"Napapanahon nang patatagin natin ang batas upang sugpuin ang human trafficking sa bansa, lalo na't nakita nating ang mga kabataan at kababaihan ay nasa higit na panganib. Maliban sa mas malakas na sistema para sa pagtugis sa mga kriminal, bahagi ng repormang isinusulong natin ang mas malawak na pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga ahensya ng ating gobyerno upang masiguro natin ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan," said Gatchalian.

###

Pagsugpo sa human trafficking dapat paigtingin-Gatchalian

Isinusulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang isang panukalang batas na layong paigtingin ang pagsugpo ng pamahalaan sa human trafficking.

Layong patatagin ng Senate Bill No. 1794 ang Republic Act No. 9208 na una nang inamyendahan ng Republic Act No. 10364 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012). Ito ay upang palakasin ang mga pamamaraan ng pagtugis sa ano mang uri ng human trafficking, kabilang ang pornography, prostitusyon, pang-aabusong sekswal, forced labor, at pagbebenta ng laman loob.

Sa ilalim ng naturang panukala, maaaring magbigay ang Regional Trial Court ng pormal na kautusan upang siyasatin o i-rekord ang mga mensahe, datos, at impormasyong nagmumula sa isang taong pinaghihinalaan o nakasuhan na ng trafficking. Ngunit bago pahintulutan ito ng korte, dapat munang patunayan ng mga law enforcer o awtoridad na mayroong krimeng naganap, isinasagawa o 'di kaya'y binabalak. Maaari silang makulong ng hanggang labing dalawang (12) taon kung nagsagawa sila ng surveillance ng walang pahintulot ng korte.

Bibigyan ng mandato ng naturang panukala ang mga internet service providers o ISPs at tourism-oriented establishments na i-ulat at pigilan ang mga kaso ng trafficking. Tungkulin, halimbawa ng mga ISP ang pagharang sa ano mang uri ng child pornography. Magiging tungkulin naman ng mga tourism-related establishments ang pagsasanay sa kanilang mga empleyado upang matukoy ang mga posibleng insidente ng trafficking sa kanilang mga pasilidad at mai-ulat ang mga ito sa mga awtoridad.

Para maisakatuparan ito, palalakasin ang Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagsanib pwersa sa mga ahensiyang tulad ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Transportation (DOTr), at Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Ayon sa IACAT, siyamnapu't anim (96) na porsyento ng higit limang daang (560) hatol sa mga kaso ng human trafficking mula 2005 hanggang Hunyo ngayong taon ay may kinalaman sa sex trafficking. Sa isang libo at dalawang daang (1,215) naging biktima, halos animnapung (57) porsyento ay mga menor de edad.

Pinuna rin ni Gatchalian ang pag-akyat ng mga kaso ng online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) sa bansa mula ng magka-lockdown dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic. Ayon kasi sa Office of Cybercrime ng Department of Justice o DOJ, umabot sa halos dalawang daan at walumpung libong (279,166) mga kaso ng OSEC ang naitala mula Marso 1 hanggang Mayo 24, mas mataas ng dalawang daan at anim na pung porsiyento (264%) kung ihahambing sa parehong petsa noong nakaraang taon.

"Napapanahon nang patatagin natin ang batas upang sugpuin ang human trafficking sa bansa, lalo na't nakita nating ang mga kabataan at kababaihan ay nasa higit na panganib. Maliban sa mas malakas na sistema para sa pagtugis sa mga kriminal, bahagi ng repormang isinusulong natin ang mas malawak na pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga ahensya ng ating gobyerno upang masiguro natin ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan," ani Gatchalian.