It was a call center, they insist; Suspects: No cyberporn ops

CEBU, Philippines - The two women arrested for allegedly running a cyberpornography operation fronting as a call center denied they did anything wrong. The two also said there was no cyberporn operation going on in the call center and also denied they were the owner and manager, respectively.

In an interview with the media during the filing of charges against them yesterday for human trafficking, Mei Yi, the alleged owner of the Filipina Hearts Internet Consultant call center, said that she is not running any business in Cebu because she has her own business in China.

“I’m not really running a business I have my business in China. I’m running a photo studio,” she said.

She told reporters that a man from Hong Kong recruited her to come to Cebu to set up a photo studio and she would teach the call center staff how to take photos and edit them.

She said that she came to Cebu from China on Nov. 13, 2012 with her three-year-old daughter because she heard people say that Cebu is a very good place for her daughter to learn English.

“The police raided the wrong door. I am just here in the Philippines to take care of my daughter, who is studying English,” said Yi who was crying when interviewed. She added her co-accused Ligaya Vitor is her helper who cooks, do the laundry and clean the house for her family.

Yi said she lived in the house where the call center was located, and later handled the earnings of the call center after her contacts asked her to do so.

Vitor, the alleged manager of the operations, said she was not a manager.

At first she said she only worked as an encoder, but in June last year the alleged owner decided to increase the salary of the “in-charge” of the office and she took the job. She said her job was not managerial because it included cooking for Yi and her daughter, babysitting and taking care of the house.

She said that she was only trusted by her employer to take charge of the house and not act as a manager.

“Kanang sinaligan lang bali niya sa sulod para naa siya’y masaligan. Manager magsweldo og P9,000 mao ba na?” she said.

The two were arrested around 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon in Barangay Guadalupe after more than two months of continuous police surveillance. The personnel of the PNP Anti Cybercrime Group-7 led by Chief Insp. Michael Vertudazo also rescued 13 individuals, seven of them women, during the operation.

Charged

The PNP ACG-7 formally charged the Filipino Heart Internet Consultant and the two women before the City Prosecutor’s Office, Cebu City yesterday for violating Section 4 (b) of Republic Act 9208 as amended  by Republic Act 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

Another respondent, a certain Leslie Cardenas Tayong, was also included but remains at large.

SPO4 Domingo Conjurado, the search warrant applicant and assistant team leader, said Yi is the owner of the said call center, Vitor is the manager and Tayong is listed as business permittee.

An inquest proceeding was conducted by Assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro, the said proceeding will continue today.

Yi said that the compound has 40 apartments, all under #7, but a policemen with the raiding team said that they are certain they raided the right door.

“Imposible nga masayop mi ug raid. For three months na sila under surveillance,” he said.

Jessie Capoy, the legal counsel of Yi and Vitor said he still has to talk to his clients but also said the raid happened at the wrong door.

During the inquest proceeding, one of those rescued during the raid said in his affidavit said that Vitor was the one who briefed and informed him of his job responsibilities as a translator.

Harold Guivencan added that as a translator he will handle eight to ten accounts.

“These accounts are lady models recruited by them where the sexy pictures of these female models are posted at the website called www.idateasia.com as enticement for any clients to go on line for a fee,” Guivencan’s affidavit read.

Vertudazo said an American, Keith Summer, also filed a separate case for estafa against the company yesterday.

“Ni-file siya ug estafa kay nailad sad siya. Nine months daw ni siya sige ug chat sa usa sa ilang mga models unya ni-ari gyud ni sa Pilipinas para makigkita sa maong model pero walay model nga nitunga,” said Vertudazo.

Summer also issued an affidavit to bolster the charges of ACG-7 against the company, said Vertudazo.

Another policeman who also joined the raid said the company hires women whose photos are posted at their website and foreign clients choose whom they want to chat for a fee, but the women are not actually doing the chatting.

Before a client can enter the site, the policeman said he has to pay in dollars an equivalent of P17,000 and once in more fees are charged depending on how long the conversation or chatting lasts.

Meanwhile, Cebu City mayor Michael Rama wants the business permit of the raided call center revoked.

“If there are grounds to have it revoked, have it revoked. They cannot operate again,” Rama said.

Rama added there is a need to commend city’s enforcers for their laudable and outstanding operations. –With Kristine B. Quintas/BRP (FREEMAN)