PHL justice execs laud conviction of Singaporean human trafficker

 

Malaysia's Sessions Court sentenced Eugene Lim Huat alias Alfred Lim to six years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of human trafficking of two Filipinas about four years ago. Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima described Lim's conviction as a "high point" in the Philippine government's anti-trafficking campaign. "This case is one of a number of cross-border and Trans-Atlantic human trafficking cases that the Department is fervently pursuing," De Lima said.  

Lim had earlier  been accused of conspiring with immigration officials of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) to smuggle Filipino workers out of the country. 

 

Eighteen immigration officers have already been dismissed because of Lim's illegal activities and are facing charges of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service, dishonesty, and gross neglect of duty.

 

Lim, with the help of scouts throughout the Philippines, took advantage of Filipino women looking for jobs abroad. IACAT said the victims were instructed to wear white clothes and special stickers were placed on their passports to facilitate their departure with the help of immigration officials in cahoots with Lim.

 

In Malaysia, the victims' mobile phones, pocket money, and passports are allegedly confiscated by Lim's cohorts, before they are sent to their respective employers. IACAT said the women are also subjected to physical and sexual abuse and do not even get paid, because their employers have already made advanced payments to Lim.

 

IACAT also cited reports that Lim himself, beats up the Filipino recruits inside his three-storey townhouse in Kuala Lumpur whenever they are returned to him by dissatisfied employers.