Baguio City councilors to probe sex trafficking

BAGUIO CITY ,Philippines  – The Baguio City council will investigate reports on the growing incidence of sex trafficking of women here.

Councilors Perlita Chan-Rondez, Betty Lourdes Tabanda, Philian Louise Weygan-Allan and Karminn Dinney Yangot said they wanted to dig deeper into reports that women were sent to Baguio to become sex workers.

At least eight women from Davao had sought the help of the police and a women’s group after they escaped from the Monro Disco Bar along Bowkakan Road here. Two of the women were pregnant while two were minors.

They alleged that they were forced to become sex workers by a Korean man, a certain Henry Soo, and a recruiter they identified as Nora Chang.

Senior Inspector Divina Mencio, head of the Children and Women’s Desk of the Baguio City police; Betty Fangasan of the city social welfare’s office; Cristio Lagyop of the business permits and licensing office; and Mila Singson of the Gabriela Women’s party-list group and other women’s non-government organizations, will be invited to shed light on the incident and other sex trafficking cases in the city.

The female councilors said the case of the eight women might not be isolated.

“There is a need to invite all the personalities named in the proposed resolution to shed light on the true gravity of the incidence of trafficked women and children in Baguio and what legislation can be passed to strengthen the city’s drive to stop the trafficking of women and children,” they said.

The female councilors said they will also summon the city’s licensing division after learning that the Monro Disco Bar is operating without a valid business permit.

Licensing office chief Cristio Lagyop admitted that some disco bars, nightclubs, billiard halls and other similar establishments are selling liquor without the appropriate business permits and these are “being used as fronts for sex dens where women are sexually trafficked.”

The councilors are also pushing for the immediate closure of establishments found using their businesses as fronts for sex trafficking.