8 women rescued, including 13-year-old, in QC KTV bar raid

Eight women, including a 13-year-old girl, were rescued from two KTV bars along Commonwealth Avenue during an entrapment operation conducted by the police late last week.

The raid was conducted following a month-long surveillance on alleged prostitution activities in the establishments, according to a report by James Agustin on GTV's Balitanghali.

Police officers from the Holy Spirit Police Station raided the neighboring bars after confirming reports of illegal activities, catching several customers and women inside the premises during the operation.

“Nag-conduct po kami ng casing and surveillance nang halos isang buwan at nang makumpirma namin na 'yung impormasyon, ikinasa namin 'yung entrapment operation. Initially dalawang libo ang hinihingi ng empleyado pero naibaba po ng P1,500 kapalit po ng dagdag-serbisyo,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Jefry Gamboa, commander of the Holy Spirit Police Station.

(We conducted casing and surveillance for almost a month, and once we confirmed the information, we launched the entrapment operation. Initially, the employee was asking P2,000, but it was lowered to P1,500 in exchange for additional services.)

According to Gamboa, one of the bars operated as a canteen during the day but transformed into a bar at night.

“Sa umaga po ang front niya is canteen pero na-ko-convert po siya ng bar sa gabi,” he said.

(During the day, it appears to be a canteen, but it gets converted into a bar at night.)

The rescued women were aged between 18 and 25, except for one minor who was only 13 years old.

“Kasama po sir ng social workers natin ng Social Services Development Department ng Quezon City ay isinama po natin sila rito sa istasyon para pakainin at mahingan ng dagdag na impormasyon. Pagkatapos po ay tinurn over sa Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking para mag-undergo po ng counseling at iba pang intervention,” Gamboa added.

(Together with social workers from the Quezon City Social Services Development Department, we brought them to the station for food and interviews. They were later turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for counseling and further intervention.)

Authorities arrested the female bar owner, one female staff member, and two male employees. The two women declined to comment, while the male suspects denied knowledge of any prostitution in the bar.

“Wala po sir. 'Yung isa po doon nag-aalaga ng bata po. Nadamay lang po siya. Ginising po siya sa itaas,” said the 33-year-old male suspect. “Nadamay din po ako. May nakuha sa aking pera pambayad ng alak po 'yon. Akala niya po sa babae 'yon.”

(No, sir. One of them was just taking care of a child upstairs. She just got dragged into this. I also got dragged in because they found money on me that was for alcohol, but they thought it was for the girl.)

“Wala naman po kaming minor. 'Yung pagkakataon na na-raid kami, biglaan po ‘yon,” said the 24-year-old male suspect. “Nabigla ako kasi mag-isa lang ako, waiter sa itaas. Bumaba lang po ako kasi wala 'yung cashier namin.”

(We didn’t have any minors. The raid happened so suddenly. I was surprised because I was alone upstairs as a waiter and only went downstairs because our cashier was absent.)

This is not the first time minors have been rescued from similar bars in the area.

“Noong July 2, 2025, nagkaroon na rin tayo ng ni-rescue na dalawang menor de edad kung saan sinabi nila na may impormasyon na kapag may hinihinging kailangang babae sa ibang bar ay doon din sila dinadala,” Gamboa revealed.

(On July 2, 2025, we also rescued two minors who claimed that when other bars request girls, they are brought to the same place.)

The arrested suspects are now facing charges for violating the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022. —Sherylin Untalan/KG, GMA Integrated News