Trafficking victims easily paid off: prosecutor

July 11, 2011
CASES of human trafficking are most often left hanging without a complainant and witness after victims are bribed by respondents, Regional State Prosecutor Antonio Arellano said.
This is often the case because the problem of human trafficking emanates from poverty and lack of opportunities to earn a living. Thus, victims are easily dissuaded from pursuing a case in exchange for money, Arellano added.
As a result, cases are dropped for insufficiency of evidence.
“May kaso nga, wala naman kaming witness, so wala kaming evidence. Kahit may nangyaring crime, if you cannot establish the existence of the crime with evidence in court that is just statistics, you cannot call the culprits liable,” Arellano said.
He said they conducted a study of the various cases they handled on trafficking in persons (TIP) to find out how best to address the issue and they found out that at the very bottom of it all is poverty.
Thus, the more effective way of controlling TIP is through a poverty alleviation program, he said.
“Kasi kung i-analyze mo, kapit sa patalim ang pag-alis ng tao kahit na hindi niya alam anong mangyayari sa kanya because wala siyang alternative na hanapbuhay dito,” he said.
“The program is a long term realization but the problem must be addressed regularly,” he added.
That does not mean they will not continue prosecuting TIP cases.
He said law enforcers are committed to uphold the 2003 United Nations Protocol Against Human Trafficking.
As such, the Philippines has the Interagency Council against Trafficking (IACAT) chaired by Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary Leila de Lima and is now being implemented through Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar.
Each region should have a counterpart body called the Regional Interagency Council Against Trafficking (Riacat), every city should have the City Regional Interagency Council Against Trafficking (Ciacat), and every municipality should have the Municipal Interagency Council Against Trafficking (Miacat).
“So kami nasa Riacat, all the agencies composing this are identified by the law that is chaired by me and co-chaired by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),” Arellano said.
The Riacat here was launched last January 28 with the intent to fast-track hearing of cases and increase conviction rates.
Without the cooperation of the victims, these efforts may be for naught.
“Ang aming na-convict maliit lang, actually up to 2011, apat lang,” he said.
“The problem of trafficking is really a matter of consequence of poverty and some cultural factors,” he said, adding a poverty alleviation program is very important.
Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte initiated a summit on human trafficking last Thursday because of a growing number of trafficked women and children to and from the city.
Duterte wanted to enhance the capabilities of government agencies in addressing this problem not only from the point of view of prosecution.
Recently, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Davao arrested and sued a Japanese and Indian couple for violation of Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act; violation of Anti-Mail Order Bride, unjust vexation; and violation of Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, after allegedly posting photos of a woman and a minor on a match-making website.
The two were arrested at Tessa’s Place in Gravahan, Matina, around 9:30 p.m. of July 6.

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2011/07/10/trafficking-victims-easily-paid-prosecutor-166087

Subic is a popular destination for visitors from Manila bringing family out of town for a short getaway to the north. Many visitors stopover in Clark Philippines for gourmet dinner at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar and shop for fine vintage wine in Clark Wine Center which offers over 2700 selections of fine and rare vintage wines only available in the Freeport zone. With the SCTex – Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway – now opened and the travel time between Clark and Subic reduced to a mere 30 minutes, Clark is much more accessible to residents of Subic. Residents of Subic and nearby towns of Pampanga such as San Fernando frequently travel to Clark to wine and dine at this top rated restaurant. Many stay on after dinner to relax and unwind in the beautiful wine bar called The Magnum Room.

Residents of Manila travel out of town for a short getaway up north visit Angeles city, Clark, Pampanga, Philippines to wine and dine and enjoy a special dinner at the best restaurants in the country. Even people from Subic and Cebu travel to Clark to enjoy a special evening and some great food and rare vintage wine at this fine dining restaurant. The famous wine shop outside Manila in Pampanga called Clark Wine Center is frequently visited by wine lovers and tourists for a bit of wine shopping.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is the most revered wine in China and many other parts of Asia. The best wine shop in Asia to buy older vintages of Chateau Lafite is Yats Wine Cellars located in Clark Philippines. Aside from Lafite, visitors can buy other fine wines at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion and Margaux. Excellent Burgundy wines like Chambertin, Vougeot, Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Pommard, Meursault, Chambertin, Vosne Romanee, Romanee Conti, La Tache and Romanee St. Vivant can be found here.

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices. Today this wine shop in Clark Pampanga offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world. As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s famous wine shop, Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years. Clark Wine Center is a well known wine shop that is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

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Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com