Probe into plight of sex slaves urged

A senator in Manila is calling for an investigation into reports of Filipino women being forced into prostitution by syndicates in South Korea.

Francis Pangilinan said he has received reports that officials in Manila, particularly the Bureau of Immigration, are colluding with Korean sex syndicates in luring and duping Filipina jobseekers.

"The fate of our Filipino women who went to seek greener pastures but instead became victims of white slavery in Korea is compelling and disheartening," he noted. "The Senate should do something about this."

Earlier, a Filipina who fell victim to the syndicate came out in the open and complained to authorities about her plight. She said she had applied for a job as a factory worker in South Korea but was forced to work as a prostitute near an American military base.

She said at least 5,000 Filipino women had fallen victim to the syndicate. The anti-illegal recruitment branch of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) has confirmed the reports, while human rights groups believe the number of Filipina sex slaves could be even higher, the senator said.

In a resolution, Pangilinan urged the Senate leadership to order the Senate committees on justice and human rights, foreign affairs, labour and women to look into the reports.

Pangilinan criticised the government of President Gloria Arroyo for its inability to solve this problem.

Pangilinan, who heads the Senate committee on justice and human rights, said he will personally look into complaints that certain Philippine consulate officers in South Korea have been unable to help overseas Filipino workers who seek their assistance.