The Philippine Star - MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered the immediate filing of cases and detention of a VIP security detail assigned at the Department of Justice (DOJ) caught transporting 17 females from Bicol to Zamboanga.
De Lima is concurrent chairperson of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Persons (IACAT).
“We will be harsh on human trafficking syndicates who victimize our innocent women and we will be even much harsher on our own people engaging in such nefarious activities,” she warned.
She asked Zamboanga’s anti-human trafficking units to ensure that the security detail will not be able to escape so he can face the full weight of the law.
De Lima said that she is saddened by the fact that the person involved belongs to the DOJ security family but angered because the security detail used his position and identification to traffic hapless would be victims.
She also congratulated Zamboanga’s anti-trafficking teams led by Zamboanga City Police Director Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo and Assistant City Prosecutor Darlene Pajarito for their vigilance and steadfastness in seeing through the deceit of the former marine soldier assigned to DOJ who claimed and pretended to be on an undercover mission to penetrate a human trafficking syndicate.
“Our security personnel are purely for security purposes only! We already have the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police acting as our operations and investigating arm,” De Lima emphasized.
She said the battle against human traffickers just became more personal because the syndicates tried to penetrate even the DOJ through its security forces.
She likewise warned other IACAT personnel and government prosecutors to refrain from engaging in human trafficking activities or dealing with traffickers else they will face severe consequences.
