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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Court orders arrest of 4 Filipinos, London-based Italian national on qualified human trafficking case

Court orders arrest of 4 Filipinos, London-based Italian national on qualified human trafficking case

Published Mar 13, 2026 01:25 pm
A Bacoor City regional trial court (RTC) in Cavite has ordered the arrest of four Filipinos and a London-based Italian national on charges of non-bailable qualified human trafficking.
In an order issued last March 4 by RTC Judge Froilan B. Pitpit, ordered arrested were Filipinos Raffaela A. Razon, Krizia Ann Geronda Loyang, Ricardo Evangelista Fernandez, and Joshua Sy Lim, and Italian national Adel En Nouri.
The trial court judge directed the arresting officers to “bring him/her/them forthwith before me to be dealt with according to law.”
The arresting officers were also required “to use at least one body-worn camera and one alternative recording device, or a minimum of two devices, or such number as may be necessary to capture and record the relevant incidents in the execution of this warrant….”
Those ordered arrested were charged in court with qualified trafficking in persons in violation of Section 4(a) in relation to Section 6(c) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended.
The case stemmed from the complaint of two women and a man who alleged before the Bacoor City Prosecutor’s Office that in May 2025 they contacted the Facebook page of the Nouri International Placement Agency which was looking for workers or domestic helpers for deployment in Europe.
The victims alleged that they were told that “ang aming magiging sahod kada buwan ay P80,000 at libre ang aming pagkain at tirahan (we will get a monthly salary of P80,000 as well as free food and lodging).”
They said they each paid P100,000 as placement fee as well as P50,000 each for air fare.
They alleged that on July 7, 2025 they were asked to go to the office of the recruitment agency in Bacoor City and, when they got there, they observed “sila ay nakasuot ng pambahay lamang (the respondents are just wearing house clothes).”
“Dahil dito ay napag-isip kami at napagtanto namin na ito pala ay kanilang tahanan na ginawang na din nilang opisina (Because of this, we realized that the place was their home that they converted into an office),” they recounted.
They claimed that they were instructed by Razon and Loyang to work at the office for training and assessment while their applications were being processed.
“Hindi kami pumayag dahil hindi ito ang aming napagkasunduan, subalit dahil sa kanilang paulit-ulit na pangungulit, napilitan kaming sumang-ayon sa kanilang mga kagustuhan (We refused because this was not what we agreed upon, however, due to their repeated demands, we agreed to do what they were asking),” they alleged.
Later on, the complainants alleged that they were forced to heed to the demands of London-based Nouri to send lewd photos or they will not be allowed to leave the place and get back their money.
Two of the female complainants claimed that they were physically hurt by Fernandez and Lim.
Thereafter, they alleged they were forced to do an online sex show with Nuori watching.
While the show was happening, the female complainants alleged that “nanood si Joshua Sy Lim na may hawak na baril (Joshua Sy Lim was watching while holding a gun).”
When they found the opportunity, the three victims said they escaped from the alleged recruitment office in July 2025.
They filed the charges before the Bacoor City Prosecutor’s Office which filed the criminal case in court.
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