2 girls, 5 women rescued from bar

CEBU, Philippines - Five women and two juveniles were rescued from a videoke bar along Plaridel Street in barangay Umapad, Mandaue City Wednesday evening following an operation aimed at catching a pimp.

The team, led by Opao Police station chief P/Insp. Wilson Abot and P/Insp. Mae Ann Florenosos of the Women's and Children Desk of the Mandaue City Police Office in coordination with the International Justice Mission, arrested a pimp and the alleged caretaker of Ching's Videoke Bar.

Abot said the operation came about after receiving complaints about the pimp's alleged recruitment of women to work as prostitutes.

Most of the women rescued live in barangay Umapad where the pimp also resides.

IJM representative Caren Noveda, during yesterday's press conference, told reporters the names of the pimp and the caretaker are being withheld in compliance with the law that states that names of suspects and victims in Human trafficking cases be withheld until such time that they are convicted in court.

Abot said a police decoy acted as a customer inside the bar and told the pimp he wanted to take three women with him and pay P2,500 for each.

After paying P7,500, the pimp paraded five women and two minors before the decoy.

The girls, aged 16 and 17, and the women were taken to the police station for documentation purposes and were later turned over to the City Social Welfare Services.

The pimp and the caretaker were detained at the Opao police station.  (FREEMAN)