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ZAMBOANGA CITY鈥擨n yet another sign of the desperation to which evacuees here had been driven, prostitution in shelters has persisted despite officials saying it has been stopped.
One evacuee, Hain Sukarna, 43, mother of three children, said prostitution persisted at听 Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Grandstand, one of the biggest shelters for residents who were displaced by the terror attack on the city by followers of Nur Misuari and the government siege that followed it.
Thousands of evacuees are languishing in the shelters since they were driven out of their homes in September last year. At least 108 people, mostly children, have died there.
Though not a social scientist, Sukarna offered an explanation to why prostitution exists: 鈥淚t鈥檚 because there is nothing to eat.鈥�
鈥淪ome of them (victims of prostitution) cannot get jobs due to lack of education. Some need money to buy medicines,鈥� Sukarna said.
Shallom Allian, program manager of nongovernment organization Nisa Ul Haqq fi听 Bangsamoro, told the听 Inquirer that prostitution was indeed happening not just in the grandstand but also on Cawa-Cawa Boulevard, where some of the evacuees are also staying.
鈥淲e鈥檝e learned that there are [tent] brothels inside and outside, just near the听听 Women鈥檚 Center Building,鈥� Allian said.
He said evacuees, mostly female, were 鈥渇orced to engage in prostitution for P25, P50 to as high as P300 just to address their immediate needs like food and medicines.鈥�
Dr. Rodelin Agbulos, city health officer, admitted there was rampant prostitution in the grandstand in the first three months (September, October, November) after the siege.
鈥淚t was really rampant, and there was even a joke of 鈥榖agsak presyo (falling prices)鈥� then,鈥� Agbulos said, adding that prostitution persisted in the grandstand when a curfew was still being enforced there.
When the curfew was lifted, Agbulos said, 鈥渨e learned that these prostituted individuals brought their job back to the streets.鈥�
鈥淣ow, there is no prostitution inside the grandstand,鈥� he said.
The city health chief also admitted receiving reports of sexual activities in the portable toilets 鈥渟o we deployed more latrine marshals and increased the presence of police forces patrolling inside.鈥�
Evacuee Saadia Alfad said she constantly watched over her three children as there had been cases of sexual assaults in the toilets.
鈥淚 accompany my daughter when she goes to the toilet,鈥� Alfad said.
Allian said there were also cases of women and children having gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
Recently, a 3-year-old girl was reported to have tested positive for an STD, but it turned out to be false.
Jasmin Teodoro of the nongovernment group Nonviolent Peaceforce told the Inquirer that the 3-year-old girl was referred to the city health office. Agbulos said initial tests indicated an STD infection.
Agbulos, however, said that when checked again weeks ago, the girl tested negative for STD.
鈥淪he was first examined and found positive, but when she was tested again, it turned out negative,鈥� he said.
Agbulos said that according to health workers, tests also indicated that the girl had not been raped but there were signs she was 鈥渢ouched.鈥�
Dr. Kibtiya Uddin of the city health office鈥檚 HIV AIDS surveillance section said seven children, age 3 to 12, were found to have STDs like gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia.
鈥淲e were able to track them down and provided听听 treatment,鈥� Uddin said.
Senior Supt. Angelito Casimiro, acting city police chief, said police had yet to receive reports about tent brothels in evacuation centers.
鈥淲e have increased our personnel coupled with regular patrols there,鈥� Casimiro said. Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao
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