Filipina tourist in Hong Kong saved from prostitution

A young and pretty Filipina tourist who was promised a job as a "waitress" in Hong Kong was saved in the nick of time by members of a church group from a suspected white slavery gang. Cristine S., a resident of Bacoor, Cavite, arrived in Hong Kong on Sept. 25 aboard a Cebu Pacific flight from Manila. Being a first-time traveler, she was nervous, and sought to get assurance from a fellow passenger. Told that Cristine had come here to work as a waitress, the other passenger, Nora O., a member of a big Christian group, expressed apprehension. She told Cristine of her suspicion that she had fallen prey to a human trafficking syndicate. Alarmed, Cristine decided to go with Nora to her employer's house. Later, the two called up a certain Nemecia Li who was supposed to meet Cristine at the airport. An angry Nemecia berated Cristine for not keeping their appointment, and insisted on meeting up with her. Accompanied by Rose, another member of Nora's church, Cristine met Nemecia in Causeway Bay. Later, they were joined by a Chinese woman who was contacted on the phone by Nemecia. Pressed to explain more about the job, the unidentified Chinese woman reportedly said, "What job? You still have no customer this time!" In a complaint she made to the Consulate afterward, Cristine said, "I was taken aback by the comments of the woman as she was suggesting I have to solicit (sic) my services to a customer in order for me to earn money from an odd and immoral job." Nemecia and her companion allegedly tried to get Cristine to go with them, but she insisted on leaving with Rose. On Oct. 5, Cristine reported her ordeal at the Consulate. She said she was willing to testify against the persons responsible for illegally recruiting her for the illicit job. In her statement, Cristine said a friend who knew of her desire to work abroad introduced her to a certain "Boy," who is in his 40s and a resident of Baliuag, Bulacan. Boy alleged-ly collected a total of Php 7,000 from Cristine for the processing of her documents, travel fare and taxes. On the day of her departure, she was told to bring with her an additional Php2,200, which was to be given ostensibly to the person who would escort her through immigration at terminal 3 of the Ninoy International Airport. Cristine says she was met at the airport by Boy and a certain Ashley who reportedly gave her two return tickets: one dated Sept. 30 and the other, Dec. 1. Ashley allegedly instructed Cristine to tell HK immigration authorities that she was returning to Manila on Sept. 30 though in reality, she would go back on Dec. 1. After making her statement to the Consulate, Cristine returned to the Philippines on Oct. 9 with a return ticket bought for her by Nora's church. But her ordeal did not end there, as "Boy" kept threatening her through phone calls for failing to take up the "job" in HK. Told about this, Vice Consul Val Roque said he would refer the case to the newly formed Presidential Task Force on Human Trafficking so Cristine would be protected, and those who tried to lure her into prostitution could be hunted down and punished. - The Sun