Statement from The Lanterns Humanitarian Foundation

I am truly dismayed to hear of the situation facing Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda of the Visayan Forum Foundation.
Whatever the politically-motivated mud that is thrown her way, nothing will be able to change the invaluable help she has provided to victims of human trafficking, nor will anything be able extinguish the light that she and her organisation has shone on those in need. In the field of human trafficking, those in need are sadly many.
So it is with sang-froid that I hear that Ms. Flores-Oebanda and her organisation is under investigation for allegedly falsifying receipts submitted to the Forum’s major funder, USAID.
In the world of today, helping people in need is something that can make you enemies. The powerful and corrupt grow rich on shameful and wicked industries such as human trafficking, and it is no surprise that there are interests who would want to stop Ms. Flores-Oebanda from her work obstructing them.
The press coverage surrounding the issue is confused and illogical; it features retractions and clarifications, and the testimony of single, unnamed sources. It is a simple observation the world over that the truth is most easily recognised when in the company of clarity, logic and multiple testimonies to the case. These accusations against Ms. Flores-Oebanda have no such companions.
The Lanterns is an organisation that gathers together tireless humanitarians, such as Ms. Flores-Oebanda, in order to shine the light on some of the gravest problems facing humanity today. By harnessing the collective power and insights of such brave individuals, The Lanterns organisation becomes a sum greater than its parts.
This is why we support Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, and will continue to do so as she fights these serious accusations. It is vital that her work continues fighting the modern day slavery that is human trafficking.