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Show proof or ship out.

Livid senators in interviews with the Philippine Daily Inquirer Wednesday wanted US Ambassador Harry Thomas to produce evidence that 40 percent of male tourists come to the Philippines for sex.

Senator Panfilo Lacson raised the possibility that Thomas was misquoted in his report on sex tourism that came out last week.

鈥淗e should at least clarify if he was misquoted by media,鈥� Lacson said. 鈥淥therwise he should apologize to the Filipino people or pack his bags and go home for being tactless, offensive and undiplomatic.鈥�

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Franklin Drilon challenged the ambassador to show proof that he was correct.

鈥淲e dispute that statement, I certainly have not been shown the basis for that data. We challenge its correctness,鈥� Drilon said.

Also sex in US

American males coming to the Philippines to satisfy their carnal desires is a reality, Enrile said.

鈥淗owever, I don鈥檛 think the statistics are correct,鈥� he added.

鈥淲e are not denying that there are American men who come to the Philippines to enjoy their life because Filipinas are attractive,鈥� Enrile explained.

鈥淭here are also many foreigners going to America to have sex with American girls and boys. It works both ways. Even Filipinos go there to enjoy the beauty of American women.鈥�

Still, Enrile asked Thomas to reconsider his disclosure.

鈥淚f I were Ambassador Thomas, I would think about what I had just said. If we say the same thing about his country, he would feel insulted,鈥� he said.

Earlier, Senator Francis Escudero protested the timing of Thomas鈥� statement, noting it coincided with President Benigno Aquino III鈥檚 visit to the United States.

Senator Pia Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate committee on women and youth, in a privilege speech reprimanded Malaca帽ang for downplaying Thomas鈥� claim instead of responding to it.

Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, who was in the Senate Wednesday, said 鈥減ertinent鈥� agencies were already engaged in implementing antitrafficking and other related laws.

Soliman said the Philippines had been taken out of the Tier 2 category for countries that had not fully complied with antihuman trafficking laws.

Last week, Thomas told a forum of Filipino judges and officials that corrupt officials were involved in a very visible sex trade, and challenged the legal profession to eliminate the 鈥渟courge鈥�.

鈥淲e know that 40 percent of foreign men who come to the Philippines, including from the US, come for sexual tourism. That is not something I鈥檓 proud of. That鈥檚 not something you should be proud of,鈥� Thomas said.

He highlighted a high profile string of karaoke bars and clubs along Roxas Boulevard, one of Manila鈥檚 main roads on which the US embassy is also located, alleging they were infamous sex establishments.

Prostitution is illegal in the Philippines, Asia鈥檚 Roman Catholic outpost, but the sex trade flourishes openly in many urban areas, including Manila.

The ambassador鈥檚 statements come amid Philippine government attempts to revitalize the country鈥檚 tourism industry, which for years has lagged behind other Asian countries.

The Philippines recorded an all-time high of 3.52 million visitors last year and the government is aiming for tourist arrivals of six million by 2016. With Agence France-Presse

Originally posted at 03:08聽 pm | Wednesday, September 28, 2011