{"id":591612,"date":"2014-04-04T00:05:49","date_gmt":"2014-04-03T16:05:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsinfo.inquirer.net\/?p=591612"},"modified":"2014-04-03T22:14:25","modified_gmt":"2014-04-03T14:14:25","slug":"brothels-operate-in-zamboanga-shelters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsinfo.inquirer.net\/591612\/brothels-operate-in-zamboanga-shelters","title":{"rendered":"Brothels operate in Zamboanga shelters"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

AFP FILE PHOTO<\/p><\/div>\n

ZAMBOANGA CITY\u2014In 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.<\/p>\n\n

One evacuee, Hain Sukarna, 43, mother of three children, said prostitution persisted at\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n

Though not a social scientist, Sukarna offered an explanation to why prostitution exists: \u201cIt\u2019s because there is nothing to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

\u201cSome of them (victims of prostitution) cannot get jobs due to lack of education. Some need money to buy medicines,\u201d Sukarna said.<\/p>\n\n

Shallom Allian, program manager of nongovernment organization Nisa Ul Haqq fi\u00a0 Bangsamoro, told the\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve learned that there are [tent] brothels inside and outside, just near the\u00a0\u00a0 Women\u2019s Center Building,\u201d Allian said.<\/p>\n\n

He said evacuees, mostly female, were \u201cforced to engage in prostitution for P25, P50 to as high as P300 just to address their immediate needs like food and medicines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cIt was really rampant, and there was even a joke of \u2018bagsak presyo (falling prices)\u2019 then,\u201d Agbulos said, adding that prostitution persisted in the grandstand when a curfew was still being enforced there.<\/p>\n\n

When the curfew was lifted, Agbulos said, \u201cwe learned that these prostituted individuals brought their job back to the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

\u201cNow, there is no prostitution inside the grandstand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n

The city health chief also admitted receiving reports of sexual activities in the portable toilets \u201cso we deployed more latrine marshals and increased the presence of police forces patrolling inside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Evacuee Saadia Alfad said she constantly watched over her three children as there had been cases of sexual assaults in the toilets.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cI accompany my daughter when she goes to the toilet,\u201d Alfad said.<\/p>\n\n

Allian said there were also cases of women and children having gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD).<\/p>\n\n

Recently, a 3-year-old girl was reported to have tested positive for an STD, but it turned out to be false.<\/p>\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n

Agbulos, however, said that when checked again weeks ago, the girl tested negative for STD.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cShe was first examined and found positive, but when she was tested again, it turned out negative,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n

Agbulos said that according to health workers, tests also indicated that the girl had not been raped but there were signs she was \u201ctouched.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Dr. Kibtiya Uddin of the city health office\u2019s HIV AIDS surveillance section said seven children, age 3 to 12, were found to have STDs like gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were able to track them down and provided\u00a0\u00a0 treatment,\u201d Uddin said.<\/p>\n\n

Senior Supt. Angelito Casimiro, acting city police chief, said police had yet to receive reports about tent brothels in evacuation centers.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWe have increased our personnel coupled with regular patrols there,\u201d Casimiro said. Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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