CSBT on alert vs possible human traffickers

SWAT IN SOUTH BUS TERMINAL/OCT. 31, 2018: Hundreds of passengers crowed the waiting area of South Bus Terminal waiting for their buses to transport them to their home town to visit their dearly be love in celebration for the All Saints and All Soils day.(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

CEBU South Bus Terminal (CSBT) Manager Jonathan Tumulak urged the public to immediately report persons, especially foreign nationals traveling with minors, to policemen deployed within the vicinity of the bus terminal.

He said it is possible that human traffickers could blend in with the influx of passengers traveling to their hometowns or to other provinces for All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse law and Republic Act 9208 or the Anti Trafficking in Persons law prohibit foreigners from traveling with children not their own, without permission from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

During the Christmas season in 2017, a Belgian national was arrested at the CSBT for bringing with him four minors whom he “helps” send to school.

According to Tumulak, he has also met with the operators of the buses at the CSBT to instruct their drivers and porters to report sightings of suspicious passengers in their vehicles.

“Sa side of the drivers pa lang daan mag-monitor na sila pod kung duna sila’y makita nga kadudahan labi na kanang mga magdala og bata. (The drivers will also monitor if they see suspicious looking persons especially those bringing children.) Ang mga tawo pod (The public), they can report to the authorities here inside the terminal,” Tumulak said.

The CSBT manager said security details have been in place for the expected influx of passengers since yesterday, October 31. The Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) will deploy around 80 police officers, 20 blue guards and 15 CSU members to manage the safety inside the
terminal.

The CPPO will be in charge of security within the terminal  while the Carbon Police Station will take care of the peace and order outside the terminal.

Tumulak said at least 11 local government units serviced by the buses in CSBT will provide free rides for their stranded constituents if all the buses in the terminal are already out.

He explained that the LGU buses will be on standby until the buses or minibuses bound for their towns have departed. Only constituents of these towns will be given the free ride.

Carcar City, which is one of the LGUs that committed to deploy buses, will require passengers to present their Purok Identification cards (IDs) before they will be given the free ride.

Other participating LGUS –  San Fernando, Alegria, Barili, Oslob, Dumanjug, Ginatilan, Boljoon, Moalboal and the City of Naga, however have not specified any documents from the passengers who would want to avail the free ride.

Tumulak clarified that the free ride system will be a point-to-point travel with the terminal as its departure area and the town or city’s designated bus stop as the drop off point.

Tumulak said that they are expecting around 150,000 passengers to come to the terminal on November 1 and 2. However, he said that the number of people allowed inside the terminal will be limited to 2,000 at a time.

Tumulak also reminded the passengers not to bring excessive baggage and valuables such as jewelry, sharp objects and weapons and petroleum products.