Philippines Jails Two Swedes For Human Trafficking

[webfact]

Philippines jails two Swedes for human trafficking

MANILA: Two Swedish men have been jailed for life in the Philippines for human trafficking after they were found running a cybersex den in which women performed acts for Internet clients, a court said Wednesday.

A court in the southern Philippines found Bo Stefan Sederholm, 31, and Emil Andreas Solemo, 35, guilty of the trafficking charges on Tuesday and sentenced both to unprecedented life terms, court clerk Nelison Salcedo told AFP.

"Disrespect for Filipino women and violations of our laws deserve the strongest condemnations from this court," Salcedo quoted regional trial court judge Jeoffre Acebido as saying in his ruling.

"It will not shirk from its duty to impose the most severe of penalties against anybody, be he a foreign national or a citizen of this country, who tramples upon the dignity of a woman by taking advantage of her vulnerability."

Salcedo said the two Swedes were arrested when police raided a commercial building in the town of Kauswagan in April, 2009, and found 17 naked Filipinas before computer screens.

The women were paid 15,000 pesos (US$350) a month to act at the bidding of online clients who paid by credit card, Salcedo said.

"Once the client has paid for a private show, anything goes," she said, adding the women used sex toys.

Cybersex dens have become a growing problem in the impoverished Philippines, according to law enforcers and social workers.

Police have raided dozens of cybersex dens in recent years and made many arrests.

Salcedo said the ruling was a Philippine landmark because it was the first time a court had convicted anyone for their involvement in cybersex operations.

Three Filipinos who were also arrested in the raid were given 20-year prison terms, according to Salcedo.

The court found the two Swedes had set up the Internet connection and payment system, while the three Filipinos in the case worked for them, Salcedo said.

The five convicts have 15 days to appeal the court's ruling, and remain behind bars, she said.

Par Kageby, senior consular officer for the Swedish embassy in Bangkok that oversees Sweden's consulate in Manila, confirmed the court ruling against the men.

"We learned that they have been convicted and sentenced to life in prison," Kageby said.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-05-11

[Nawtier]

How do they make 'trafficking' out of that......lifes a tad harsh.

[jackdawson]

are the prisons nice in Kauswagan?

[falkan]

they would have paid tee money directly instead of bitching, and i think they would be out today!

[WyattEarp]

How do they make 'trafficking' out of that......lifes a tad harsh.

Yeah, particularly considering the bar scene in the Philippines that seems to operate without problems and where the "interaction" goes to a completely different level.

[stevehaigh]

to be called trafficking wouldn't they have to be taken somewhere? also, were the girls held against their will or free to leave at the end of their shift?

it does sound a bit harsh to me compared to some of the horrible stuff i hear about where the perp seems to get off scott free

[AsiaCheese]

Disrespect for Filipino women...

"It will not shirk from its duty to impose the most severe of penalties against anybody, be he a foreign national or a citizen of this country, who tramples upon the dignity of a woman by taking advantage of her vulnerability."

I often cringe at terms like "dignity" and "vulnerability" and "disrespect". It's soooo hypocritical to on the one hand have a population with bleak chances of getting a job/an income, with lots of kids to feed grace to an almighty church in the background that condones condoms, and on the other hand cry foul and slavery when it comes to something that these ladies pretty much chose for themselves -- be it for anything between having a job at all and sheer lazyness/greed. But to pass out life sentences under the pretext of human trafficking is just simply beyond the pale! Bloody shame that law is the personal vendetta of individual judges, in lots of countries...

[WyattEarp]

Did you mean to say an almighty church in the background that don't condones condoms ?

[BigJohnnyBKK]

The trafficking was from bringing in girls from other parts of the country - the term is defined so loosely in most jurisdictions that it can be used as a pretext to stomp down hard for any kind of pimping, or even "exploitative" labor practices.

Harsh sentence indeed, but if you dance with the devil you have to pay the piper; I don't think any country takes kindly to foreigners stepping in to compete with the local criminals/mafia, particularly in places where the local mafia is in partnership or even *is* the local law enforcement.

Criminals are generally pretty stupid people (by definition), and it's hard enough to get away with stuff on your home turf, I find it incredible people try this sort of stuff out while overseas. . .

[AsiaCheese]

Did you mean to say an almighty church in the background that don't condones condoms ?

Dear oh dear -- that's a typo/thinko with potential consequences

Of course, it should have read "...an almighty church in the background that doesn't condone condoms".

I stand corrected. Where's the edit-post button when you need one?!?

[Thongkorn]

Did you mean to say an almighty church in the background that don't condones condoms ?

They could have been condomed to death,

[champken]

It would appear that these two have been made an example of as a warning to any other potential entrepreneur who thinks he can step on the wrong choice of toes there, jails in the Philippines are every bit as bad as Thai jails and then some ! so while i dont condone what they have done, i do hope those sentences will somehow get reduced

[FarangBuddha]

Young, blue-eyed, and white-cheeks...I think they'll be the ones performing the "shows" for lonely men in the future.