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Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER). If it is assessed as a kidnap-for-ransom case,
then PACER handles it; otherwise, the local police deal with it. Furthermore, the Philippines
Centre for Transnational Crime (PCTC), a special police institution that pursues ransom cases
beyond the national borders, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the National Bureau of
Investigation all contribute in responding quickly to cases of abductions. According to the
Government’s response, the creation of PACER has helped to better integrate and coordinate
proactive efforts of all police units and thus, contributed to a higher success rate in getting the
victims back safely.
77.
Mexico has developed a special programme for disappeared and missing minors. Posters
identifying the minors missing, abducted or kidnapped are rapidly disseminated and legal and
psychological counselling are provided to the families enduring the trauma. Several standards
have been elaborated, including the Modelo de Orientaciòn Global and Modelo de Conciliación
Interfamiliar, to help in the reunification process. Furthermore, since June 2004, a website
pertaining to missing children was created and a booklet aiming to prevent this problem, entitled
“Protect children from disappearance and abduction”, is currently on its way.
V. CONCLUSIONS
78.
The Special Rapporteur would like to warmly thank all those who responded to the
questionnaire. Although only relevant selections of the experiences and initiatives on which
information was received are outlined in this report, the Special Rapporteur has found some very
positive examples of preventive measures, institutions and programmes addressing both issues
that deserve to be highlighted.
79.
The issue of sale of organs and tissues, particularly of children’s organs, remains for
the moment mostly unsubstantiated. Although formal reports of organ and tissue trafficking
are few, the disparity of costs, technologies and legislation related to this issue make it
indispensable for the authorities to remain vigilant in order to avoid human organs and tissues
becoming a trade commodity in which profit for some and desperation of other may lead to
irremediable situations. Although there are reports of trafficking in organs and tissues
involving violence against persons and children, diverse unconfirmed rumours persist. There
is therefore a need to report and investigate when these allegations appear. The Special
Rapporteur urges Governments to investigate thoroughly and ensure criminal sanctions against
the traffickers and all those involved as child abusers.
80.
The Special Rapporteur would also like, as a preventive measure, to remind
Governments of the different safeguards put in place by different international and regional
mechanisms, such as the Guiding Principles developed by the World Health Organization, the
Conventions adopted by the Council of Europe and some examples of national legislation cited
above. The Special Rapporteur takes this opportunity to invite all countries to establish
legislation and standards so as to clearly regulate transplantation of organs and tissues. They
should develop institutions to document and monitor all transplants taking place and to avoid
the development of “transplant tourism”, in which medical establishments open, taking
advantage of disparities between the situation of the donor and the receiver, with significant
risks for both persons involved in the transplant.
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