NBI nabs 5 people for human trafficking in Pasay

Agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday rescued in Pasay City 13 people—six of them minors—from alleged operators of a prostitution ring.

The NBI arrested Nehemia Velasquez alias Kuya Joey, Hillary Acosta alias Violet Sy, Adrian Carido, Orlando Abarca and Alex Balane, who are expected to face charges of qualified trafficking in relation to the child abuse law before the Department of Justice.

Acting on a tip, the NBI and social workers conducted an entrapment operation inside a unit of Marbella Condominium in Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, on Wednesday evening.

According to the NBI, three ladies agreed to authorities who posed as customers that they would be brought to a room for sexual service in exchange for P45,000.

"After receiving the marked money, operatives swooped in and approached the ladies. The three ladies disclosed that they proceeded to the lobby of the Manila Pavilion as per instruction of (Velasquez and Acosta) and that they were lured for employment to become models of 'Kuya Joey' and 'Mama Violet' but ended up being prostitutes and they could not do nothing but abide," the NBI said in a press statement on Thursday.

The three women led the agents to the condominium unit where they were being kept. Authorities then rescued four males and nine females, who were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The ladies said the money paid for services were collected by Velasquez and Acosta on a 60/40 split in favor of the suspects, but they could not even get their shares immediately. —Virgil Lopez/KBK, GMA News