Two get life imprisonment for human trafficking

CEBU, Philippines - A Karaoke bar manager and his assistant were sentenced to suffer life imprisonment after they were found guilty of qualified trafficking.

Regional Trial Court Branch 53 Judge Wilfredo Navarro in Lapulapu City found Reynaldo Marange and Willy Rosales, both residents of Barangay Marigondon, guilty of qualified trafficking in persons under the Republic Act 9208.

 The court also ordered Marange and Rosales to pay a fine of P2 million each.

Marange and Rosales, manager and assistant manager of Hanna Valley Music and KTV Bar in Marigondon, respectively, were arrested on June 2, 2008 during a raid conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation. Bar owner Eduardo Valencia eluded arrest during the raid but is now wanted by the law.

The operation stemmed from a complaint filed by the two mothers from Davao City whose daughters were recruited to work in the KTV Bar as Guest Relations Officer.

The complainants first sought the assistance of the Internal Justice Mission and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The IJM and the DSWD coordinated with the NBI.

An entrapment and rescue operations were simultaneously conducted by the NBI resulting in the arrest of the two accused and the rescue of several trafficked women.

Among those rescued were three minors and 12 adults working as sex workers at the KTV.

One of the minors rescued was the daughter of the complainant. (FREEMAN)