Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) rescued 10 women—four of them minors—and arrested a man during a suspected sex trafficking operation in San Pablo City, Laguna.
The operation was carried out on February 12 by the NBI-Calabarzon regional office in Barangay Sta. Veronica.
According to the NBI, the suspect, whose name was withheld, presented the women for “entertainment” at a rate of ₱3,000 per person.
Once the marked money was received and the intent for sexual exploitation was confirmed, the agents arrested the suspect in flagrante delicto (in the act) of committing the offense.
After the arrest, the NBI said the suspects was charged before the San Pablo City Prosecutor’s Office with violations of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Special Protection Against Children Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, both in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The NBI said the operation was conducted based on intelligence report that an individual uses a Facebook account to solicit sexual services.
It also said that cyber surveillance identified a Facebook group which served as a digital storefront for illegal activities.
“Investigators observed that the Suspect utilized the platform to negotiate rates and share photographs of victims. Of particular concern to authorities were images of young-looking females, which raised immediate red flags regarding the exploitation of children,” it also said. (Jeffrey Damicog)
