Almost 60 women rescued from high-end sex dens in Makati

Almost 60 sex workers who were allegedly being peddled to foreigners were rescued from three nightclubs in Makati City.

According to Emil Sumangil's report on 24 Oras, three of them were found to be minors.

It was around 4 a.m. when the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Anti-Organized and Transnational Crimes Division and Social Welfare Office raided the alleged high-end prostitution dens in Makati City.

The establishments were filled with male foreigners and local women.

“Yung bar, hindi lang pala siya inuman, nag o-offer din ng babae at ang sinasabi dun, pag tinake out ang babae, P10,000 to P25,000. Tapos, bar fine P7,500,” said Attorney Jerome Bomediano, NBI Anti-OTCD Chief.

(The bar doesn't just serve drinks, it also offers women and what happens if the woman is taken out of the bar, it costs P10,000 to P25,000. The bar fine is P7,500.)

“Ang modus nito, itong mga bar na ito, hindi ito nag o-offer ng babae sa Pinoy, foreigner lang. So kung Pinoy ang papasok, ‘di ka papansinin,” said Bomediano.

(The modus operandi of these bars is they don't offer women to Filipinos, only foreigners. So if a Filipino comes in, he will be ignored.)

A total of 59 women were rescued during the operation.

“Based dun sa dental records, 3 ang minor dun sa 59 na na rescue natin,” said the chief.

(Based on their dental records, there are 3 minors out of the 59 we rescued.)

Twelve persons were also arrested, including the alleged owner, an Iranian citizen, and 11 Filipinos.

The NBI conducted the raid after they received a complaint from former bar employees.  

“Yung mga dating empleyado, nakunsensiya sila, inaabuso na kasi yung mga babae, sila na mismo ang lumapit sa (non government organization), ang NGO naman ang lumapit satin,” the chief added.

(The former employees, their conscience bothered them because the women were being abused, they approached an NGO and the NGO reached out to us.)

The suspects, who refused to give their side, have been charged with violating the Anti-Human Trafficking Law.—Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News