Monday, October 20, 2008 Human trafficking victim seeks protection By Katrina A. Balmaceda Sun.Star Correspondent
A CASE of human trafficking has led to the third petition for a writ of amparo to be filed before the Court of Appeals (CA) Cebu Station.
The petition was filed last Oct. 14, just 10 days before the writ of amparo turns a year old. The writ was set in motion in the Philippines on Oct. 24, 2007 as a tool to protect a person’s right to life, liberty and security.
In the latest petition, an alleged victim of human trafficking sought protection against the respondents, who currently face a case for violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act or Republic Act 9208.
The case and petition were filed with assistance of the International Justice Mission (IJM).
Sun.Star Cebu is withholding the names of the petitioner and the respondents due to the nature of case.
Lawyer Stephen Ygnacio, acting clerk of court of the CA-Cebu Station, confirmed that the petition was filed last Oct. 14. He added that it was raffled off two days later to Justice Edgardo delos Santos of the CA 19th Division.
In asking for a writ of amparo, the petitioner asked the court to direct the respondents to “desist from threatening, directly or indirectly, herein petitioner” and any of the petitioner’s family members.
It also asked the court to stop the respondent from doing anything that would prevent the petitioner from appearing in court.
The writ of amparo came with a prayer of a temporary protection order while the case against the respondents undergoes trial, and sought government protection for the petitioner.
It also asked that the respondents be prevented from communicating with the petitioner.
Deemed one of the most significant rulings penned by the Supreme Court in recent years, the writ of amparo has been used to compel officials to answer for, or investigate, enforced disappearances and killings.
“Amparo” comes from the Spanish verb “amparar”, which means, “to protect.”
In the CA-Cebu Station, two previous petitions for the issuance of the writ were filed against the military and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
These were for the disappearances of two farmers who were allegedly arrested by the military for being suspected rebels.
Last May, the CA denied the petitions for want of proof.
