24 women rescued from Boracay human trafficking

BORACAY, Philippines – Some 24 women working in Boracay for “commercial sex” were rescued by members of the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center (BTAC).

Two suspects were also facing violation of Section 4(a) in relation to the provisions of the Anti-trafficking of Persons Act of 2003 before the Aklan Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, March 7.

Police identified the suspects as 32-year old Nestor Fabiano, Jr. from Mabolo Drive, Naga City and 29-year old Boyet Fajarito, Jr. from Gabawan, Odiongan, Romblon. They are employees of Video King Bar as cashier and waiter in Sitio Tulubhan in Barangay Manoc-Manoc.

The suspects were collared after receiving P4,000 in marked money from a confidential agent who acted as their customer at around 10:20 p.m. of March 5, 2016. The agent allegedly ‘hired’ 3 women, aged 23, 27, and 24 years old, for commercial sex in exchange for a fee.

The women were residents of Delarama City Proper in Iloilo City and North Bay, Boulevard South in Navotas City and were presently working at Video King Bar.

BTAC was joined by local Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) and End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT)-Philippines during the rescue of women involved in commercial sex and the arrest of suspects.

Recovered from Fajarito were P4,000 in marked money and P3,000 in cash. Police also confiscated the barangay clearance, business registration certificate, and logbooks from the Video King Bar.

The owner of the establishment remains at large, the police said.

Other rescued women, aged 20 to 27 years old, were placed under the care of the MSWDO. The other women were residents of Quezon City; Antipolo, Rizal; Molo, Iloilo; Southern Leyte; Bato, Camarines Sur; Odiongan, Romblon; Valenzuela, Manila; Novaliches, Quezon City; Leganes, Iloilo; Palawan; Banson, Oriental Mindoro and Sawang, Romblon. – Rappler.com