Philenews

Organizations Welcome Transfer of Human Trafficking Authority to Ministry of Justice

Published February 17, 2026, 17:17
Organizations Welcome Transfer of Human Trafficking Authority to Ministry of Justice

Fourteen civil society organizations welcome the transfer of responsibility for combating human trafficking from the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection to the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, describing it as a necessary corrective step after two years of institutional inertia. The organizations had requested the transfer of the Multidisciplinary Coordination Group (MCG) and political coordination responsibility as early as November 2025, denouncing the lack of progress in implementing legislation and the National Action Plan. They emphasize that human trafficking is a serious crime and violation of human rights, requiring coordination within a framework of justice and victim protection, not as a matter of migration management. The subordination of the MCG to the Ministry of Justice is considered to restore coordination within an institutional framework with a clear focus on human rights and accountability.