4 women, minor rescued from ‘pimps’

CEBU, Philippines – Five women, including a minor, were rescued in an anti-trafficking operation that had two suspected pimps arrested on Tuesday evening at the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City.

“Rose” (not her real name), 26, married, was arrested together with “May” (not her real name), 33, after they allegedly transacted for sexual intercourse with a police decoy.

Both of them were allegedly involving high school girls for prostitution, according to the Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force-7.

Inspector Sheryl Bautista, team leader, said they have been working on the case for two weeks and have monitored Rose’s alleged illegal activities.

Last Tuesday night, Rose was contacted by police officers who pretended to engage the service of a prostitute.

Rose allegedly agreed to meet the decoy in a restaurant at the NRA in Mandaue City and promised she would get high school students for the decoy.

But when the suspect could not produce a high school girl, she volunteered to contact her friend who also allegedly worked as a pimp.

After a few minutes, May arrived with three women and a girl who was said to be a student of a university. Meanwhile, two other women who were allegedly Rose’s contacts also arrived.

Insp. Bautista said the “pimps” were immediately arrested.

During investigation, it was learned that the minors were reportedly “sold” for up to P5,000 through referrals and from old patrons.

The suspects have been allegedly engaged in selling minors for two years now and belong to a network of pimps operating in Metro Cebu, even reaching up to Compostela town.

The pimps allegedly “supply” girls to KTV bars and other establishments.

The two suspects denied the accusations and said they were only invited by a police officer to have a dinner.

Rose said she works as a massage therapist and was only demonstrating the decoy of a hand massage, only to be surprised why they were arrested.

May said she was not selling young girls and that she only went to the restaurant after she was invited for dinner.

Rose and May will be charged for human trafficking while the rescued women and the minor were brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 for psychological intervention.