Sustain fight vs human trafficking - ex-DoJ official

by Bernadette e tamayo ManilaTimes.net

Former

justice undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar on Tuesday, Feb. 28 urged the government to keep the fight against human trafficking “at all costs” as he welcomed the Senate investigation on the reported human trafficking at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). and Communications Technology, said. whose seats are reserved for nominees of the Landbank and DBP, given the size of their capital contribution.

In a speech last February 15, Poe claimed that police and airport authorities failed to stop the departure of a Dubai-bound flight that carried 10 foreigners, but only seven were declared before immigration officials.

“Since the sizable amount will be from Landbank and DBP, it would be pro rata to their contribution,” De Leon said.

Even as the private sector will be encouraged to invest in the fund, she stressed the MIC would have no private sector representatives –at least in the board of directors.

But Binay and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian questioned such restriction, saying it would make the MIF less appealing.

“Foreign investors are very particular on representation, primarily to protect their investment,” Gatchalian said.

De Leon explained that putting a cap on foreign investments would ensure the government remains the majority holder of the institution.

“For you to be on the board, then you would have to have more than 25 percent shares of the corporation,” she said. “But then the limits will prevent them from getting that much. Majority will still be the government.”

De Leon clarified that the only time that a foreign entity can sit in the board is when the MIC enters into a deal with another company and forms a joint venture.

Binay suggested that the law should make it clear that no foreign entity can be part of the board regardless of the size of its investments. n

He was referring to the Senate blue ribbon committee (BRC) probe on the alleged “new high-end” human trafficking scheme at the country’s premier gateway.

Salazar was once at the forefront of the country’s fight against human smuggling as head of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.

The Senate probe was an offshoot of Sen. Mary Grace Poe’s expose on what she said could be another grand design of a “human trafficking” scheme at NAIA involving a private aircraft and foreign nationals.

The senator said that “the Manila International Airport Authority, Bureau of Immigration, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Aviation Group and the Globan Aviation will have a lot of explaining to do.”

“I believe there is more to this kind of a high-end modus that concerned government officials must look into the soonest possible time,” said Salazar. “The Senate’s move is a step in the right direction to unearth the identities of perpetrators at the soonest possible time.”

The “modus operandi” was exposed when the PNP Aviation Security Group received an “anonymous tip” about a human trafficking activity involving an aircraft that is set to depart for Dubai at about 10 p.m. on the same day at the NAIA.

It said that only six passengers were declared but 14 passengers will board the aircraft.

“We say that there could be more to this that might have been perfected a long time ago and every time with cargoes as well in such instances.

If human trafficking can take place, how much more with illegal drugs,” Salazar, who also served as undersecretary of the Department of Information

“This is a very serious matter because if human trafficking can take place using private planes, how much more with illegal drugs that might only be considered as mere cargoes,” he added.

“As I said, the recent accidental discovery of the latest illegal activity could only be the tip of the iceberg. Thus, a Senate inquiry into this is a very welcome step,” he said.

Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go has expressed apprehension over the reported human trafficking scheme at the NAIA since it might involve national security.

“This is very disturbing and we condemn this new case of human trafficking using private jets,” Go said in Filipino and English during a chance interview in Quezon City on February 17.

“It appeared on the report that there are foreign passengers on board,” he said. Go voiced concern that some groups “use our airports as transit or exit point for smuggled people.”

“This should be stopped. This should be looked into thoroughly because there could be ‘national security dimension’ in this case,” he said. n