The Philippine government rescued 268 victims of human trafficking Wednesday night. Justice Secretary Leila De Lima made the announcement at a press conference this morning, Philippine news network GMA reported today.
The raids were conducted with the cooperation of the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and the government Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).
The 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report put out by the U.S. State Department last June put the Philippines on the Tier 2 Watch List. Countries that slip to Tier 3 are subject to sanctions, and may lose all U.S. aid.
Following the report, Justice Secretary De Lima called on IACAT to immediately act to resolve all pending human trafficking cases. In August, boxing champion-turned-Congressman Manny Pacquiao argued for funds to be allocated to IACAT because, he said, its current budget was zero.