By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Friday it is strengthening measures to ensure the proper identification, protection, and referral of potential human trafficking victims encountered during police operations.
NCRPO Officer-in-Charge Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano issued the statement in line with the Oct. 14 directive of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. to intensify action against trafficking schemes, including those facilitated through online platforms.
Abrahano directed police district commanders, station chiefs, and operating units to ensure that personnel encountering possible trafficking victims coordinate promptly with social workers, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and other appropriate agencies.
Responding officers must prioritize the safety and welfare of potential victims, conduct interviews sensitively, protect minors and other vulnerable individuals, and facilitate referrals for appropriate assistance and services.
“Rescuing potential victims is only part of our responsibility. We must ensure that they are treated with dignity, protected from further harm, and connected with the agencies that can provide the assistance they need. Our operations must pursue those responsible for trafficking while safeguarding the rights and welfare of the people being exploited,” Abrahano said in a news release.
The NCRPO will also reinforce personnel awareness of trafficking indicators, including suspicious online recruitment offers, deceptive employment arrangements, coercion, threats, and restrictions on a person’s freedom of movement.
Information gathered during operations must be handled carefully to protect victims’ identities and avoid exposing them to retaliation, stigma, or further exploitation.
Abrahano emphasized that potential victims must not automatically be treated as offenders merely because they were found inside a suspected illegal operation.
Their circumstances must be assessed appropriately, with referrals and investigative procedures carried out in coordination with the agencies mandated to provide victim protection and support.
The NCRPO chief urged the public to report suspected trafficking and deceptive online recruitment activities to the proper authorities as he reaffirmed their commitment to intelligence-driven enforcement that holds traffickers accountable while ensuring that victims receive humane, lawful, and appropriate protection. (PNA)
