THE Department of Justice-Regional Prosecution Office 11 (DOJ-RPO Davao) continues to provide free legal services and strengthen case-building efforts across the region, with Davao City and Mati City reporting the highest number of trafficking in persons (TIP) cases.
Speaking at the Kapehan sa Dabaw media forum Monday at SM City Davao, DOJ-RPO Davao deputy regional prosecutor Karl Andre Salcedo said the Regional Anti-Child Abuse, Exploitation and Trafficking Task Force 11 (RACETTF 11) has assisted 231 complainants and filed 402 cases in regional courts since 2003.
“Ang atuang complainants na natabangan nato sa atuang region, naa na sa 231 complainants, and kaso na na-file didto sa korte since 2003, naa na tay 402 cases (We have assisted 231 complainants across the region, while 402 cases have been filed in court since 2003),” Salcedo said.
He said that the number of cases can exceed the number of complainants because a single victim may be involved in multiple charges or related offenses.
“Sa isa ka complainant, daghan pod na-file, naa'y counting, naa'y sumpay. So mao na siya ang explanation ngano naa'y disparity sa number of complainants as to the number of cases that are filed in court” (A single complainant may be involved in several charges or related offenses. That explains why the number of cases is higher than the number of complainants), Salcedo said.
The figures build on baseline data released in July by Regional Prosecutor Janet Grace Dalisay-Fabrero, as DOJ-Davao has yet to release an updated regional case disposition report.
At the time, prosecutors were handling 203 active human trafficking and trafficking-related cases in courts across the region. Of these, 145 were pending TIP cases, three had resulted in convictions, and 58 involved related offenses, including online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), cyber trafficking, and violations of Republic Act 7610.
Prosecutors are also working with law enforcement agencies on 11 case build-ups to gather evidence before filing formal charges in court.
Since 2019, DOJ-RPO Davao has disposed of 419 trafficking and trafficking-related complaints, including 274 TIP cases.
Salcedo emphasized that prosecutors provide legal services to victims free of charge.
“Ang serbisyo sa prosecutor, walang bayad ang atong pag-appear. Among gina-representahan ang mga biktima o complainants (Our services as prosecutors, including court appearances, are free. We represent victims and complainants),” Salcedo said.
He also urged the public to rely on verified information rather than speculation on social media, particularly when dealing with sensitive cases.
“Kami sa Department, among buhat is we always abide by what is standard set. We must subscribe to news that is reliable (At the Department, we follow established standards and rely only on reliable information),” Salcedo said.
The region's anti-trafficking workload was highlighted during the 2026 National Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) Summit held Sept. 7-11 at Acacia Hotel in Davao City.
Hosted by RACETTF XI, the five-day summit brought together more than 300 anti-trafficking practitioners, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, social workers, representatives from 24 regional task forces, and technology partners, including Meta and TikTok.
Participants discussed emerging trends in OSAEC and traditional human trafficking and explored ways to strengthen coordination, investigation, and victim protection. GRS
