9 women rescued from human trafficking suspect

MANILA, Philippines - Nine women about to board a ship for Palawan were rescued by Valenzuela City police officers from a suspected human trafficker at the North Harbor in Manila Wednesday night.

Station Investigation and Detection Management Bureau head Chief Inspector Danilo Bugay and his men also arrested Neville Tanag, who denied all allegations against him even as the father of one of the would-be victims lodged a complaint of human trafficking against him.

The victims, ranging in age from 17 to 30, told investigators Tanag offered to give them jobs in Coron, Palawan as housemaids. The complainant said the girls were to work at the Seaport Videoke Bar – reportedly owned by Tanag’s mother, Gloria – in Coron, Palawan.

The girls were reportedly offered P3,000 per month to work as househelps. The STAR gathered that some of the girls have previously worked as sex workers in the same bar and reportedly earned P4,000 “per session,” with P2,000 going to the bar owner.

The complainant told the Valenzuela police Women’s Desk that his 17-year-old daughter was missing and may have been recruited by the suspect for a job in Coron.

Bugay said they found out that Tanag and his mother are subjects of an arrest warrant issued by a Valenzuela court.

The women are in the temporary custody of the Women’s Desk and the city social welfare office.