Manila: Representatives for the Philippines and United States have signed an agreement that aims to strengthen Manila's capability to prosecute and convict human traffickers.
A letter of agreement for a three-year joint anti-human trafficking project was signed in Manila by Philippine Secretary of Justice Leila De Lima and US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr during a meeting of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking at the Department of Justice on Thursday.
The project, which will receive $500,000 (Dh1,836,450) in funding from the US Government, creates a position for an Intermittent Legal Advisor — a US Government prosecutor who will work with the Philippine Department of Justice on improving the capacity of the Philippine prosecution and law enforcement sectors to investigate, prosecute, and convict people engaged in human trafficking.
Milestone
The agreement represents an amendment to the letter of agreement on law enforcement that the two governments signed in 2006.
At the signing of the letter of agreement in Manila, Thomas noted the US and the Philippines "share a strong and mutual commitment to protect and promote respect for human rights" and to "combat the gross injustice that is human trafficking."
According to Thomas, the agreement signals "another milestone in our shared effort to end the scourge of human trafficking — a modern-day form of slavery."
Justice Undersecretary Jose Vicente "Jovee" Salazar, Chairman of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, said the programme will be a boost to the government's effort to eradicate human trafficking by way of successful prosecutions and apprehension of offenders.
