Woman nabbed for "selling" 3 girls

CEBU, Philippines - A woman was arrested for human trafficking after three girls accused her of “selling” them to a foreigner Friday night on V. Rama St., Barangay Guadalupe.

Lian Maglasang Masangkay, 47, native of Barangay Atabay, Alcoy town was arrested by the operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 by virtue of a warrant of arrest for qualified trafficking in persons issued by Judge Toribio Quiwag of the Regional Trial Court branch 27 in Lapu-Lapu City.

The three victims, now all of legal age and neighbors of the accused in Atabay, Alcoy have executed an affidavit pointing to the latter as the one who sold them to a Caucasian national.

One of the victims said she was still 17 years old when she met the suspect, whom she used to call “Ate Lian” through the latter’s sister, Nene Casul.

They met at a restaurant inside a mall in this city after she was told by Casul when they were still at Alcoy that they will be meeting a foreigner.

Out of curiosity, the girl said she went with Casul and learned that Masangkay knew the foreigner.

“She (Masangkay) then told me to come with her to a resort (name withheld) in order to meet her foreigner friend. Without any malice afterthought I went along with Masangkay. Upon arrival, she briefed me by telling me that all I have to do is to render escort service with the foreigner and I will be paid handsomely,” she said in her affidavit.

The girl said that when they were already inside a room, Masangkay left them and it was at this point that the Caucasian allegedly started caressing her and finally undressed her. The victim said she cried and shouted at the foreigner to stop, which he did.

The foreign national then allegedly called someone on his cellular phone who was later found out to be Masangkay. The suspect then told her to leave the room and meet Masangkay at the resort’s lobby.

When they returned to the city, the suspect allegedly handed her P1,000 and told her not to tell anyone about the incident but she refused to accept it.

“I could have just forgotten everything how difficult it may be and treat it as mere nightmare. However, when I learned lately that I was not the only one in our community that was victimized by her nefarious activity, I decided to come out into the open to expose her wanton act with the end in view of stopping her reprehensible trade to save others who may fall prey to her deception and sinister ways,” the victim said.

Masangkay is now detained at the CIDG-7 detention cell for proper documentation prior to her turn over to the court.   (FREEMAN NEWS)