MANILA -- Two Chinese nationals were arrested while six Vietnamese women were rescued in an operation in Makati City, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Thursday.
NCRPO head Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar identified the suspects as Kuang Meiting and Li Xuemei, both Chinese nationals, who were arrested by the NCRPO’s Regional Special Operations Unit (RSOU), together with the Women and Children Protection Division- Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division and Makati Police Station, in an anti-trafficking entrapment and rescue operations at Avida Asten Tower 2 in Barangay San Antonio around 10 p.m. Wednesday.
The victims were identified as Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, Nguyen Thi Truc Ly, Vo Thi Ngoc Tu, Nguyen Thi Diem Phuong, Nguyen Thi Trang, and Nguyen Thi Tham.
Eleazar said the operation stemmed from the information of a tipster regarding the rampant proliferation of prostitution activities involving foreign nationals in the said address.
"Itong pagdami ng mga foreigners ay dapat na natse-check natin upang hindi magkaroon ng mga iba pang krimen na nangyayari lalo na kung ito ay involving the victimization of women, not necessarily na mga Pilipina pero gayon din naman ng mga foreigners na dinadala dito para maging (We must check the influx of foreigners here so we can avoid other crimes, especially where women fall as victims, not necessarily Filipinos but as well as foreigners who were lured here to become) sex slaves," the Metro Manila top cop said.
Case records showed that the suspects' operation is based on Internet application, wherein clients are being lured to avail of sexual services. Based on their promotion, there are Vietnamese, Chinese, and Malaysian ladies being trafficked.
Further investigation revealed that there was a room in the condominium called as "show-up room", where clients can choose among the ladies.
They also have an option to use the three available rooms in the condominium or bring the ladies somewhere else.
Eleazar said the Vietnamese women are using tourist visas and they will be turned over to the social workers of Makati Police Station or the local government unit for appropriate disposition.
“Our coordinators will be coordinating with Vietnamese Embassy para maibalik sila sa kanilang bansa (so they can return to their country), according to the existing laws in the country,” said Eleazar.
The arrested suspects and confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to the RSOU office for documentation and proper disposition.
Criminal complaints against the suspects, for violation of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by RA 10364 also known as the Expanded Anti-Trafficking Act of 2012, were being prepared for filing in court. (PNA)
