Lower thirds:

00:02 Report by 
00:44  Joel Dullroy | DW Reporter
01:12 'Alina' | Child trafficking survivor
01:48 'Reyna' | Child trafficking survivor
02:32 Geoff Harrison | Destiny Rescue Limited
03:32 Maria Sheila T Portento | Philippine National Police
03:47 'Alina' | Child trafficking survivor
03:59 Report by Joel Dullroy & Lewis Sanders

Script:

00:00 

INSERT: Source: Destiny Rescue (Until Joel PTC) 

These men are on a mission to remove children from sex trafficking. They were sent by the charity Destiny Rescue, which runs operations like this in the Philippines and other countries. Posing as sex tourists, the men ask traffickers bring child victims to a hotel.  

00:21
+++SOT+++ 
Man: Oh, she looks young, she looks cute.    
Man: How many girls do you think you can get for us under eighteen?  
+++ 
00:27

Then, they set up a raid with authorities to remove the children and arrest the traffickers. 
But their undercover tactics create risks. DW has learned that one of their operations ended in a shocking outcome. 

00:43
+++JOEL PTC+++ 
Insert:  
Joel Dullroy 
DW Reporter 
“Our investigation has found a Destiny Rescue mission resulted in the alleged abuse of girls by the very men who were supposed to be helping them.” 
+++ 
00:51

Alina was just 13 old when she and others were picked up by two men in the city of Olongapo, northwest of Manila. They took her to this hotel, where she says one of the men paid her for sex. 

01:06 ((starts off))
+++SOT+++ 
Insert: 01:10  
‘Alina’ 
Child trafficking survivor 
“He told me that he would shower first. After he showered, I showered as well. Then it happened.” 
+++ 
01:16

Nearly two weeks later, Alina and other girls were invited to a party  organized by the men at this upmarket resort. This time, law enforcement officers raided the location and took the girls into custody. They were told they had been under observation for weeks. 

01:36

They realized that the men suspected of abusing them were involved in the operation.  Reyna, then aged 16, was one of the girls caught in the raid. 

01:47
+++SOT: 
Insert: 
‘Reyna’ 
Child trafficking survivor 
Reyna “They used us, paid us. That’s their way of persuasion, by parading as if they are only as customers. It’s like they help children, but at the same time, they use us.”  
+++ 
02:04

The men were part of a Destiny Rescue operation. In this confidential letter to Philippine police, the organization acknowledged their so-called informant had allegedly engaged in an indecent act with a minor during the operation. 

02:22

We showed the letter to Geoff Harrison, chief operating officer of Destiny Rescue Limited, in its Australian headquarters. 

02:31
+++SOT Geoff Harrison: 
Insert 
Geoff Harrison 
Chief Operations Officer, Destiny Rescue Limited 
GEOFF: “We're always concerned. When it comes to the safety of children. And that is why we're adamant about having good structure, good training, good accountability.” 
02:46
JOEL: “Does this sound like good structure, good training and good accountability to you?” 
02:49
GEOFF: “It sounds like something went wrong, that’s what I think.” 
+++ 
02:52

But Destiny Rescue did not name the informant in its letter to the police.

02:58

The girls filed a criminal complaint. A prosecutor found two informants to be “probably guilty” for use of a trafficked person, but failed to establish their identities. 

03:10

Destiny Rescue's Philippine managers were cleared of charges of criminal conspiracy.  
The organization declared the allegations were “resolved and dismissed.” 

03:21

Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies in the Philippines continue to rely on charities – including Destiny Rescue.  

03:30
+++SOT+++ 
Maria Sheila T Portento 
Child protection chief, Philippine National Police 
"We welcome support coming from partners, NGOs or foreign law enforcement partners; we welcome them specifically because they of, you know, funds.” 
+++
03:40

The girls are still waiting for justice. 

03:46
+++SOT 
‘Alina’ 
Child trafficking survivor 
“I feel nervous sometimes, because they might look for us or do something to waive the case. I hope they get arrested so they can’t abuse children anymore.” 
+++ 
03:58

The alleged abusers remain at large. Destiny Rescue continues to run undercover missions around the world. 

04:07
+++ENDS+++