The Philippines has been continuously exploring areas of closer cooperation with foreign counterplarts in the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) said.
“Always bear in mind that you are never alone in this battle and together, with our collective efforts, we will break the chains of modern day slavery and let justice for all reign supreme," Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, who chairs IACAT, said in a statement.
The IACAT said that last Dec. 3 to 5 a national summit for all Anti-Trafficking Task Forces (ATTFs) and their partner law enforcement agencies (LEA) from across the country was conducted in Tagaytay City.
During the summit, participants from the DOJ, the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) discussed “strengthening investigative and prosecution platforms across the region through the use of Mutual Legal Assistance, Budapest Convention, and the products of Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization),” it said.
“These processes aim to foster closer collaboration with other countries in investigating and addressing transnational crime such as human trafficking,” it also said.
The council explained that the summit was conducted “with the goal of reinforcing collaboration and enhancing the effectiveness of anti-trafficking efforts nationwide.”
“At the core of the anti-trafficking operations, which was reinforced heavily during this summit, is the importance of prioritizing the rights, dignity, and well-being of victims in all stages of intervention, from rescue to rehabilitation,” it said.