15 Chinese nationals arrested for operating prostitution dens

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have arrested 15 Chinese nationals who allegedly operated prostitution dens in Las Piñas City amid what authorities say is an "alarming" level of Chinese criminal activity in the Philippines.

Three men were arrested last December 10 in a hotel in Almanza, where they allegedly escorted Chinese customers who had made bookings online to Chinese prostitutes. Three days later, nine men and three women were arrested at a three-story building where similar activities allegedly took place.

Operatives rescued five women in the latter operation. They were taken in by friends, NBI officials said Tuesday.

Officials said the suspects had undergone inquest proceedings and face a complaint for qualified human trafficking, a non-bailable offense.

Prices for an hour's worth of sexual services allegedly ranged from P8,000 to P18,000, NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said. The larger group earned between P400,000 and P500,000 a day, said Joel Tovera, chief of the NBI's anti-organized and transnational crime division.

The two groups ran "systematic" operations, Tovera said. He said meetings were arranged via Telegram, a messaging app, customers' identities were verified, and daily transactions were carefully recorded.

Those arrested included managers, accountants, pimps, and people who were tasked to discreetly fetch customers and bring them to the prostitutes, the official said.

Most of the customers were employees of offshore gaming operators, Lavin said.

Lavin also said Chinese government representatives met with NBI officials last week to discuss law enforcement operations against Chinese criminals behind illegal gambling, kidnapping, and human trafficking activities in the Philippines. —KBK, GMA News