Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the signing of Republic Act No. 11862 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022 is a major victory in the country’s effort to strengthen the government’s crackdown on human trafficking.
Gatchalian said it now covers illegal adoptions, child laundering, and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
“This gives law enforcers additional tools in running after human traffickers,” he said.
The senator said this is also an important step forward in protecting our children, who are among the most vulnerable to human trafficking. “We cannot allow this kind of abuse to our youth to continue We will continue to push for the safety of our youth to all forms of violence,” he said.
The law also makes internet intermediaries, including social media networks, tourism, and business establishments, and financial intermediaries responsible for, knowingly or by gross negligence, allowing their facilities, infrastructure, and platforms to be used in promoting human trafficking.
“I thank President Rodrigo Duterte for signing this law, which I co-authored and co-sponsored,” Gatchalian said.