Caraga execs admit failure vs human trafficking, violence against women

BUTUAN CITY- Authorities on Monday admitted that Caraga region is lagging behind in the campaign against human trafficking and violence against women and children, affirming surveys by non-government organizations that showed the prevalence of trafficking of women and minors in the region. In a press conference, lawyer Marilyn Pintor, Gender and Development-Regional Development Coordinating Council (GAD-RDCC) chair, some – if not majority – of local government agencies lack awareness on and, thus, fail to give priority to projects aimed at protecting women and children. In fact, Pintor – who is concurrently the regional director of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) – said that Caraga courts have yet to convict alleged violators of Republic Act 9262 or the Act Defining Violence against Women and their Children as well as the Anti-human Trafficking law. "The DOJ (Department of Justice) so far has not convicted any single violator in Caraga region, one of them were just given mere punishment of social work," Pintor said. For her part, GAD-RDCC vice chair Edna Hontiveros said region-wide assessment made by the group indicate that GAD programs are being sidelined despite of the fact women and children from the region fall victims to trafficking. Earlier, NGOs like Visayan Forum and ECPAT in their surveys and studies showed that most of the trafficked women and minors that were recruited to big cities – many of whom have ended up in brothels and prostitution dens – were from Mindanao, particularly from Caraga region. Hontiveros said funds allocated for GAD programs are not being used by local government units for this purpose. “What is unfortunate was some used these funds as milking cow," Hontiveros said. Representatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Caraga regional office also admitted lack of budget in different municipal police offices in the region have hindered their campaign against trafficking and violence against women and children. In the press conference, GAD-RDCC officials urged local chief executives to take concrete actions to put an end to violence against women and trafficking of women and children, including the adoption and implementation of public information programs on these issues. - Alvin Guanzon, GMANews.TV