Chinese gets 2 life term for POGO prostitution

MANILA, Philippines — A Pasay City court has convicted a Chinese national for running a prostitution den of Filipino women catering to foreign workers of Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGOs.

In a decision promulgated on Nov. 28, the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 113 sentenced the Chinese, known only as Boss Ayang, to two life terms. He was ordered to pay a fine of P4 million.

Ayang was found guilty of violating Republic Act 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

Members of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center raided a condominium complex in Pasay on Nov. 25, 2023.

Authorities rescued 14 Filipino women, including a minor, who were forced into prostitution during the raid.

The court noted that the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were “candid, straightforward and credible.”

The victims positively identified Ayang as the person in charge of the prostitution den.

One victim testified to having serviced 30 to 50 clients in one month.

Ayang distributed clients to the victims through a group chat on social media.

The victims said they would meet the POGO workers for sexual services in hotels and condominiums. 

According to the victims, the payments were made to Ayang personally or through cashless transactions.

Only a portion of payment was directed to the victims in cash.

Two other accused, including Ayang’s Chinese partner, were acquitted for lack of evidence.

Ayang’s partner will be deported by the Bureau of Immigration.