Four persons have been arrested while 10 women, six of them minors, have been rescued by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from a suspected sex den in Olongapo City.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Aug. 11, NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor identified those arrested last Aug. 4 as Jackylou Lastimado, Ramil Enterno, Monica Labandelo and Jesthony Telan.
The NBI said that the rescued minors have been turned over to Olongapo City’s Social Welfare and Development Office.
It said that Lastimado, Enterno, Labandelo and Telan have been charged with violations of Republic Act No. 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, and RA 7610, the law on Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination.
The NBI said the operation was conducted based in information provided by the group, Destiny Rescue Philippines, on human trafficking activities in Olongapo City and nearby municipalities.
Destiny Rescue advocates “end to child sexual exploitation and slavery.” It is engaged in “rescuing and restoring underage children trapped in prostitution or sexual exploitation.”
“According to the report both Subjects Lastimado and Corum acted as pimps to prospective clients by procuring, offering, promoting, facilitating or inducing minors specifically high school students and out of school youths by taking advantage of their vulnerability to engage in prostitution and other sexual activities in exchange for monetary consideration,” it said.