sex trade and human trafficking in the country, true or false?

I won't apologize – Thomas

By ELENA L. ABEN

September 30, 2011, 6:55pm

MANILA, Philippines — United States Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. said he will not make an apology over his remark about prostitution in the country, stressing he was only telling the truth when he issued the statement.

Thomas challenged those criticizing him for his remark, including senators, to show what they have done and what they are doing to stop child prostitution and human trafficking in the Philippines.

Asked if he will make an apology following the demand of some senators, Thomas categorically stated: “I’m not going to apologize, I’ll leave it alone with them. I’m not going to apologize. I will never apologize for trying to combat child sex. I will never apologize for trying to combat children being forced to labor. I will never apologize for trying to help children in Smokey Mountain,” he added.

He went on to ask what is offensive in his remark. “Is the statement offensive or is the child sex offensive? And why was it offensive?”

“If they’re saying that children having sex is offensive, yes; that children being forced to work as maids is offensive, yes; that women and men being trafficked to other countries is offensive, yes. Human trafficking, modern day form of slavery should be offensive to every human being. If that’s what they are saying, I agree to it,” said Thomas, as he made it clear he had no intention of insulting the Philippines.

The US Ambassador said he was not misquoted in his remark that about 40 percent of foreign male tourists visit the Philippines just for sex. However, he said that he was not quoted in full.

“What I’ve said – ever since I’ve been here when President Aquino and Secretary (Leila) De Lima came into office – is that any foreigner, particularly an American who is engaged in sex crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and we will assist,” Thomas told the Manila Bulletin.

“I also said . . . that the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) has come here… worked with the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) to capture people who are engaged in cyber crimes or pedophilia, that there are people who would come here, who have engaged in sex with underage children and videotape this,” he further stated, adding that while those DVDs have been burned here and in the US, the American government will help prosecute people engaged in such act if they are caught. “And that is why we are training the NBI,” said Thomas.

“I also said that last year despite claims there were no child prostitutes on Fields Avenue, Angeles City, that we were working with Visayan Forum and NBI and we were able to rescue over a hundred children who are working as child prostitutes,” he went on to say.

The US envoy said he has on the wall of his residence in Makati self portraits made by young girls who are trafficked. “And they show what they have to do, dress up as woman, how they were wounded, their limbs, how a salesman of dirty ice cream lured them,” said Thomas, as he emphasized “that this scourge should be eliminated.”

As he explained his side, Thomas went on to say: “What I wonder is why anyone who drives through Malate late at night, anyone who goes to Fields Avenue or parts of Cebu would question the fact that these places exist.”

At the same time, he also praised the people of Cebu saying, “our international justice mission works very well down there, that is a model city in terms of how the clergy, the prosecutors, the police, the government works together… to prosecute traffickers” and also help put some of the women from poor villages into universities for them to get proper education.

“Everybody wants to ostracize me, get angry over a quote. But where are they? These are their fellow citizens? So i would like to ask them, what are you doing to stop children being trafficked? If they don’t believe it exists, show me,” said Thomas.

“What are they doing to stop children working as laborers, we know that there are many communities in Manila and other cities where children work as child maids, are they closing their eyes to that? I’m an American, these are Filipinos. Why would they allow their children to be trafficked for sex or labor? They turn a blind eye to it,” he added.

On reactions that his statement was an insult to the country, Thomas said: “Why would I try to insult the Philippines, I’m just telling the truth… and those over a hundred girls that we rescued last year are living proof of that. Where were they when we rescued them? I would like to know. This is something we feel very serious about,” said Thomas.