Ex-Filipino beauty queen, 5 Russians rescued from alleged human trafficking scheme

A former Filipino beauty queen and five Russian women were rescued from an alleged human trafficking scheme in Makati City, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said.

Footage from the NBI showed three Russian women inside a five-star hotel in Makati on Wednesday night.

The NBI International Operation Division arrested the 42-year-old male suspect after he accepted the marked money from an undercover agent.

“Mayroon pong report na pumasok sa amin, intel report… mayroon siyang mga tinatawag na, dala-dalang kababaihan, at itong mga kababaihang ito ay inaalok niya for sexual favors kapalit ng malaking halaga,” NBI Director Melvin Matibag said in a report by John Consulta on “24 Oras” on Friday.

(We received an intelligence report that he was bringing women and offering them for sexual favors in exchange for large sums of money.)

The rescued women are now under the care of social workers in Makati.

The Filipino woman is a former beauty queen who is well-known in the industry, Matibag said.

The Russian women claimed to be foreign models, but the NBI said they were classified as tourists. The agency is coordinating with the Russian Embassy.

Matibag said the suspect is expected to face charges of qualified human trafficking. —Jean Mangaluz/VBL, GMA News