Authorities have, in an entrapment, arrested two female suspected pimps and “rescued” three women, two of them minors, from prostitution activities in Kamagayan on Wednesday evening.
The entrapment was conducted by policemen of the City Police Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch with the help of an American man, a member of the International Justice Mission, who acted as the decoy.
The IJM is a US-funded non-government organization that has been handling cases of human trafficking and exploitation of women and children.
The suspected pimps arrested were 40-year-old Dahlia Alibay and 23-year-old Joan Ortiz—both residents of the barangay.
Thes rescued “victims” were a 22-year-old woman from Siraway, Zamboanga del Norte, a 17-year-old woman from Ormoc City and a 15-year-old from San Carlos City.
According to PO3 Fe Altubar, who was part of the operation, it was the 15-year-old teenager who was the initial subject that the IJM had wanted to save from prostitution in the area.
It was not clear how the girls got acquainted with the IJM but the organization got reports from the girls that they have been forced to engage in sex with customers, including foreigners, and being given a share of the earnings.
Senior Insp. Aileen Recla of the CIIB told The Freeman that it was the IJM that did the pre-operation investigation on the suspects, then provided the CIIB with logistics, such as the van and the money, for the entrapment.
The police, acting on the complaint, went to the scene along with the American member of the IJM, whose identity has been kept secret for security reasons.
Recla said that she first called Alibay via cell phone to ask if the latter could provide five girls, aged 12 years and under, for her foreigner friends. Alibay reportedly answered that there are no “12-under girls but only 12-up.”
The deal was eventually set then Altubar, the American, and PO1 Roy Carlo Veloso on undercover went to the area to talk with Alibay and Ortiz about the hiring of the women.
Alibay and Ortiz only brought three women, one of them was the IJM’s subject for rescue, and the poseurs paid the “pimps” P3,000 for the three.
When asked for two more girls, Alibay reportedly asked for ‘tip’ prompting them to give her another P700, but when the suspects left, the police noticed that their cover was already blown.
This prompted Recla to signal the other team, led by the CIIB head Sr. Insp. George Ylanan, to chase and arrest the two suspected pimps.
Recovered from the suspects were the P3,000 cash “payment” for the girls and the P700 “tip”, all of which bore the ultra-violet powder mark.
The suspects, after undergoing tests at the PNP Crime Laboratory, were later found positive of the ultra-violet powder. They were then charged for violation of Republic Act 9208, or the law against trafficking of persons. — Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE