Tondo sex ring busted

A sex syndicate catering to mostly wealthy Chinese customers was believed busted after a raid in Tondo, Manila, Friday evening, the Philippine National Police announced yesterday.

Chief Superintendent Nestorio Gualberto, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director, said the operation which resulted in the arrest of the maintainer of the sex syndicate, also rescued four girls, all minors, detained in the place.

The girls, aged between 14 and 16, told police that the syndicate, posing as job recruiters, lured them to Manila to work as waitresses, then detained and sold them to wealthy customers, mostly Chinese traders, known for their lust for minors.

Arrested was Moreta Brigoli, alias "Belen Francisco, 38, a native of Calbayog City. Brigoli is detained at the CIDG detention cell for violation of Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

Brigoli’s cohorts, Nancy Francisco and Evelyn Francisco eluded arrest during the raid at 1071-D Vicente Compound, New Antipolo, Tondo, Senior Superintendent Agripino Javier, chief of the CIDG’s Criminal Investigation Division Office said.

Meanwhile, elements of the Western Police District are tracking down a gang of robbers operating around Robinson’s Place, a shopping mall in Ermita, Manila.

This, after a Japanese tourist and a woman were separately robbed and divested of their valuables by the suspects last Friday night.

Police identified the victims as Elvira Escalona, 29 years old, of Pasay City; and Hiroyuki Okuoka, 44; of Rothman’s Hotel, M. Adriatico street, Ermita.

Escalona was walking along Adriatico street near the mall, at about 7 p.m. when two unidentified men armed with knives accosted her and took her wristwatch, gold bracelet, two cellular phones, and P45,000 in cash.

Later that night, Okuoka was also robbed by two men armed with knives, also along Adriatico street. Taken from Okuoka by the robbers were a Philips cellular phone worth P5,000 and P3,000 in cash.

Escalona told police that the suspects had Visayan accents. – With Mike Frialde