Trafficking charges filed vs bar owner, managers

The National Bureau of Investigation has filed qualified trafficking charges against the owner of an uptown bar including four managers for employing the services of their dancers to perform sexual acts with their male customers.

Charged before the Cebu City Prosecutors Office for violation of the Human Trafficking Act were Ediza Hansen, owner of the Midnight Sun Bar; Joel Manolong, operations manager; Sheila Dedicatoria, assistant manager; and Rosemila Plaza and Bona Salcedo who both served as “mama sang” or pimps to the dancers.

NBI operatives swooped down on Midnight Sun Bar last Thursday evening based on intelligence reports that it engaged in prostitution by employing its dancers to do sexual acts with their male customers.

Manolong and Dedicatoria were caught during the entrapment while 32 dancers were rescued in the process. 

The NBI received reports on the alleged illegal activities conducted inside the club, prompting them to conduct surveillance operations. Supervising Agent Jesus Manapat and Special Investigator Florante Gaoiran posed as customers to verify the information.

After having confirmed the information, an entrapment operation ensued at 10:00 p.m. of Thursday. Dedicatoria received the P200 marked money as part of the P1,700 bar fine for an undercover agent to be allowed to take the dancer out of the establishment to some other place  where they could both perform the sexual act.

The operation was part of the continuing crackdown by the NBI on similar stablishments engaged in prostitution.  — Fred P. Languido/MEEV