Duterte vows to fight modern-day slavery
President Duterte has sounded the alarm about a modern-day slave trade still prevailing in some parts of the country and promised to put a stop to the illegal activity.
The President revealed that many children have been kidnapped and trafficked into slavery in the
conflict-torn city and other parts of the country.
"Pero nag-warning ako kasi alam ko at nachi-check na namin ng mga social workers ‘yan. Marami kasing bata sa Pilipinas, kini-kidnap [I am issuing a warning because I know and we checked with the social workers that many children in the Philippines are being kidnapped],” Duterte said during his visit to government troops in Marawi City last Monday.
"Ang problema niyang karamihan, dito ipinagbibili [The problem is many of them are sold here]. Slavery is prevalent here. It has to stop,” he said.
Concerned about child trafficking, the President promised to pour the government’s resources to bring the traffickers to justice after the troops have resolved the rebel siege in Marawi City.
“Pagkatapos niyang siege diyan sabihin ko talaga, prangkahan tayo, magkadugo man tayo I will not allow that [Once the siege is over, I will really say, let’s be frank, I will not allow that even it leads to bloodshed],” he said.
“B ******* na magnakaw kayo ng bata tapos palakihin ninyong slave [It’s b ****** t to kidnap children and turn them into slaves],” he said.
The President said nobody could fool him about the slavery prevalent in the south since he is a Maranao, too. He noted that his cousins have also reported incidents of child trafficking in the area.
Duterte traveled to Marawi City last Monday under heavy security to boost the morale of troops battling remnants of the Maute terror group. It was his fourth trip to Marawi since the rebels attacked the city last May 23.
The commander-in-chief, armed with a weapon and clad in a camouflage uniform, went to the grand mosque retaken by the soldiers from the Maute terrorists, followed by stopovers to the Mapandi bridge and main battle area.
He also distributed grocery items, watches and cigarettes to the soldiers, and even offered free Hong Kong vacation to the female soldiers.