No bail for six arrested in raid

CEBU, Philippines - For allegedly exploiting women for sex, the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has recommended no bail against six women, arrested last Saturday night in two bars raided by authorities along Gen. Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City.

State Prosecutor Aida Sanchez told the media that she elevated the criminal case for qualified trafficking before the court after those accused waived their right to undergo preliminary investigation to refute the allegations filed against them.

Named accused were Marycris Brigole, 23; Ma. Kristine Noquera, 24; and Janice Cabardo, 26 of Pussycats; and Charo Palima, 33; Crisanta Caramelo, 28; and Martcia Damo-ag, 37 of Club Temptation.

Last Saturday past 11 p.m., the Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force-7 conducted simultaneous operations at Pussycats and Club Temptation that led to the arrest of those accused and the rescue of the victims.

Sanchez said based on the complaint, three victims executed an affidavit against Brigole, Noquera and Cabardo while six victims executed an affidavit against Palima, Caramelo and Damo-ag.

Meanwhile, the legal counsel of Brigole, Noquera and Cabardo, lawyer Alex Tolentino, said they will either file a motion for reinvestigation or a motion to post bail after the case will be raffled off. He claims his clients were innocent of the crime charged.

Contrary to the claim of Tolentino, Senior Insp. Ma. Theresa Macatangay said there was no need for a search warrant during last Saturday night’s raid.

“The raid was due to an entrapment operation and I don’t think that a search warrant is a prerequisite to a raid,” said Macatangay, head of the RAHTTF-7.

Macatangay said they were just enforcing the law and the bar owners should take it up in court and not blame law enforcers.

“There was a bigger establishment that we raided before, so I don’t think this will pose a big question to everyone. The thing is, they should also be policing themselves, looking into the policies of their own establishments,” she said.

Tolentino has said that the operation was illegal since the police did not show any search warrant.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking will hold an emergency meeting on Monday following the raid. CCIACAT is composed of state and private groups primarily involved in addressing human trafficking.

Private non-government agencies include the Children’s Legal Bureau, International Justice Mission, Stop Abuse of Minors Association, Visayan Forum, Law Center, Share a Child Movement, World Vision, Fellowship for Organizing Endeavors and Lihok Filipina.

The council is automatically headed by the mayor with the Committee on Women and Family Affairs chairman as the council vice chairwoman.

CCIACAT vice chairwoman and committee on women and family affairs chairwoman Councilor Lea Japson yesterday said she was waiting for the amended memorandum from the office of Mayor Michael Rama after receiving one that she believed was “wrong.”

“I got a memorandum from the mayor but I returned it aron ma-correct kay sayop man. Section 11 of the amended CCIACAT ordinance says that the mayor is the chairman and that no representative is allowed correcting the first ordinance,” Japson said.

She added that the council only met twice this year, both before the elections since after the second term of Rama started, she was accordingly waiting for the mayor to convene the council.

Japson questioned the composition as stated in the July 1 memorandum of Rama with Councilor Dave Tumulak representing him as the chairman of the council as well as the appointed representatives from the ABC and DSWS.

“Nganung si Manuel Guanzon man ang representative sa ABC nga si Michael Ralota man ang president? Unya, nganung si Charisma Renguijo ra man gihapon ang DSWS nga resigned na man na siya? Mao akong giuli sa office of the mayor and memo,” Japson explained.

The mayor reiterated his plans of looking into the permits issued to establishments with rescued trafficked women.

“If there is a need, then we close them,” Rama said adding he has yet to meet with CCIACAT, City Anti Indecency Board, the Liquor and Licensing Commission, the Cebu City Police Office, city administrator Jose Marie Poblete and City lawyer Jerone Castillo. — (FREEMAN)