The Police and organizations involved in the campaign against human trafficking are monitoring possible illegal recruitment of earthquake victims in the 1st District of Negros Oriental.

Romualdo Señeres of the Visayan Forum and the Provincial Inter-Agency Against Trafficking, said that in a recent training, the participants discussed the relationship between a calamity and human trafficking.

He said an increase in the vulnerability of women and children in disaster-stricken areas is usually seen, although, so far, there are no confirmed reports of illegal recruitment or trafficking of typhoon or earthquake victims.

The Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police, and the Civil Aviation Authority have been alerted, while PIACAT is continuously urging the Women’s and Children’s Concerns Desk in towns and cities affected by the twin disasters to monitor suspicious activities and deploy police personnel to areas with seaports, Señeres said.*JFP

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