rules and regulations, shall be held administratively liable, without prejudice to criminal
liability under this Act. The concerned government official or employee shall, upon
conviction, be dismissed from the service and be barred permanently to hold public
office. His/her retirement and other benefits shall likewise be forfeited; and
(i) Conviction by final judgment of the adopter for any offense under this Act shall result
in the immediate rescission of the decree of adoption.
Section 11. Use of Trafficked Persons. - Any person who buys or engages the services of trafficked
persons for prostitution shall be penalized as follows:
(a) First offense - six (6) months of community service as may be determined by the
court and a fine of Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00); and
(b) Second and subsequent offenses - imprisonment of one (1) year and a fine of One
hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00).
Section 12. Prescriptive Period. - Trafficking cases under this Act shall prescribe in ten (10)
years: Provided, however, That trafficking cases committed by a syndicate or in a large scale as
defined under Section 6 shall prescribe in twenty (20) years.
The prescriptive period shall commence to run from the day on which the trafficked person is delivered
or released from the conditions of bondage and shall be interrupted by the filing of the complaint or
information and shall commence to run again when such proceedings terminate without the accused
being convicted or acquitted or are unjustifiably stopped for any reason not imputable to the accused.
Section 13. Exemption from Filing Fees. - When the trafficked person institutes a separate civil action
for the recovery of civil damages, he/she shall be exempt from the payment of filing fees.
Section 14. Confiscation and Forfeiture of the Proceeds and Instruments Derived from Trafficking in
Persons. - In addition to the penalty imposed for the violation of this Act, the court shall order the
confiscation and forfeiture, in favor of the government, of all the proceeds and properties derived from
the commission of the crime, unless they are the property of a third person not liable for the unlawful
act; Provided, however, That all awards for damages shall be taken from the personal and separate
properties of the offender; Provided, further, That if such properties are insufficient, the balance shall
be taken from the confiscated and forfeited properties.
When the proceeds, properties and instruments of the offense have been destroyed, diminished in
value or otherwise rendered worthless by any act or omission, directly or indirectly, of the offender, or it
has been concealed, removed, converted or transferred to prevent the same from being found or to
avoid forfeiture or confiscation, the offender shall be ordered to pay the amount equal to the value of
the proceeds, property or instruments of the offense.
Section 15. Trust Fund. - All fines imposed under this Act and the proceeds and properties forfeited
and confiscated pursuant to Section 14 hereof shall accrue to a Trust Fund to be administered and
managed by the Council to be used exclusively for programs that will prevent acts of trafficking and
protect, rehabilitate, reintegrate trafficked persons into the mainstream of society. Such programs shall
include, but not limited to, the following:
(a) Provision for mandatory services set forth in Section 23 of this Act;