SEVEN victims of a human trafficking syndicate in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi were rescued by officers from the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center and the Department of Social Welfare and Development as they were about to be shipped to Malaysia late Saturday afternoon, a report to PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. said.

WCPC officer-in-charge, Colonel Portia D. Manalad said the seven were found on board M/V Trisha Kerstin II, a passenger vessel from Bongao that arrived at the Zamboanga City seaport 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Members of the WCPC Mindanao Field Unit and the Tawi-Tawi Maritime Police Station and the PNP Maritime Group 1st Special Operations Unit intercepted the victims.

The seven victims were found to be without legal documents during questioning. All turned out to be on their way to Sabah, Malaysia.

As of press time, the seven were still being interviewed by WCPC investigators prior to their turnover to the Processing Center for Displaced Person of the DSWD 9.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission headed by Executive Director Gilbert DC Cruz is assisting the PNP-WCPC in investigating the syndicate behind the foiled attempt to smuggle the victim to Sabah.

Cruz said they are currently going after human trafficking rings which have gained notoriety for smuggling Filipinas, minors included to Sabah where some of them are forced to sweatshops and even bars-cum-prostitution joints.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon