IJM Cebu's First Conviction

On August 10, 2010, IJM Cebu received its first conviction under R.A. 9208, the Philippines’ anti-trafficking law, only the fourth such conviction to ever be handed down in the Central Visayan region. This case began in May 2008 when IJM helped the Cebu City Police Office conduct a sting operation which led to the arrest of a pimp who had been selling minors for sex and the rescue of a 17-year-old girl named Charlyn (not real name) and one other adult victim. After a two year legal battle, in which Charlyn herself bravely testified in court and pointed out the pimp who had sold her, justice was served as the accused was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

In 2007, Charlyn moved to the city to work as a housemaid so that she could send money home to her father, a farmer in Negros, and six siblings. But in March 2008, Charlyn was offered a “job” which ultimately led to her being prostituted by a pimp in Kamagayan, Cebu’s oldest red light district. Night after night, Charlyn was sold to customers for only around Php 400 (less than $10). But one night in May 2008, a night that was just like any other, everything changed. After Charlyn was brought to a hotel room and paid for, Charlyn’s “customer” revealed he was actually an undercover police officer and arrested Charlyn’s pimp. Charlyn was rescued; she would no longer have to sell her body for money nightly.

Since Charlyn’s rescue, God has been faithful to restore her through the love and care of IJM’s social workers and aftercare partners. Charlyn is currently on a missions trip with a ministry associated with the aftercare home where she was most recently living, where she is working with vulnerable street children.

While theoretically, cases being tried in the Philippines’ court system shouldn’t take longer than 12 months from arrest to conviction, IJM Cebu is finding that it can take judges anywhere from two to four years to reach a decision. One of the main reasons for this is that there are simply not enough courts for the number of cases being tried, which results in cases having a hearing every three months or so. Furthermore, trafficking cases are not prioritized. So, actually receiving the news of this conviction is especially sweet for IJM staff and all of our partners who were involved in this case from start to finish.

Giovanni Luna, the IJM attorney who prosecuted this case alongside the public prosecutor, said “God has once again shown His infinite power as our supreme advocate for the poor, neglected, and exploited. We really thank and praise our God for making manifest His glory through this great victory in court! …This victory in court allows me to realize that justice is real here on earth, as it is beyond.”

IJM team following conviction announcement: Matthew Watts, Atty. Mark del Mundo, Mae Sampani del Mundo, Riley Lockridge, Atty. Giovanni Luna, Catherine Noveda, Atty. Sam Inocencio, Atty. Andrey Sawchenko (from left to right)