Sex workers rescued

MANILA, Philippines - Combined operatives of the Manila Police District and the Department of Justice rescued Thursday night 251 women, including 18 minors, from a suspected prostitution house fronting as a restaurant in Ermita, Manila.

The operation was ordered by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim following reports of alleged sex trafficking, exploitation and abuse of minor women at the LA Café, an inexpensive restaurant at M.H. del Pilar, corner Salas streets in Ermita frequented by foreigners looking for cheap sex.

Surveillance operation showed that prostitution is rampant in LA Café wherein female employees of the restaurant openly pimp women guest relations officers (GROs) for sex on the second floor, according to MPD director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay. GROs in the place can be sex partners for a fee ranging from P2,500 to P4,000 depending on their age, Magtibay said. Pimps receive a percentage of the sex fee which increases if the foreigner takes the girl out of the restaurant.

LA Café reportedly serves only soft drinks, beer and cheap foods with no girlie shows, thus escaping police arrest.

However, Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar, chairman of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) of the Department of Justice, received reports that trafficking and exploitation of women is rampant at the cafe, prompting the agency to coordinate with the MPD to stop the illegal activities at the place. Retired Col. Jess Kabigting, who serves as consultant of IACAT-DOJ, was present during in the entire operation.

The agency has vowed to conduct sustained anti-human trafficking operations nationwide following reports released by the US State Department that the Philippines has shown no significant improvement in its record of combating human trafficking and has remained on the tier 2 watchlist of problem nations.    

Inspector Albert San Jose, chief of the MPD’s Special Task Group, identified the arrested LA Café personnel as Emelinda Viray, 34, manager; Grace Perez, 34, operations manager; Rodalyn Taja, 34; Geraldine Ronquillo, 24, supervisor; Lilia Montanilla, 24, waitress; Carla Serrano, 51; manager; and Nora Jabelosa, 34.

Eighteen GROs were verified to be minors based on dental ageing conducted by dentists of the Office of the Mayor, according to Chief Inspector Anita Araullo who heads the MPD’s Women and Children Desk.

One of the minors, 17-year-old Jenny, told The STAR that she and the other minors were recruited by a certain “Randy Panganiban,” who promised to send them abroad after undergoing training on customer relations at the LA Café. She admitted going out with foreigners for P2,500.

The seven personnel, including the owner, Anselmo Candado who escaped arrest, will be charged with qualified trafficking and violation of the anti-child abuse law, according to Araullo.

Lim ordered yesterday the immediate closure and revocation of permit to operate of the LA Café.