Sex ring suspect: Girls wanted to go to Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines - One of two sisters accused of selling teenage girls to a prostitution ring in Malaysia justified her actions before a Valenzuela City prosecutor yesterday.

Vilma Santos, 37, looked nervous as she and sister, Cristal, 32, faced Prosecutor Hilda Mendoza for violating Section 6 of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law. Inches away from them were two of their five victims (aged 15 and 16), accompanied by their mothers.

“Are you aware where (alias) Hans will bring these girls?” Mendoza asked Vilma. Hans, who remains at large, is one of her co-accused.

“Yes, ma’m, but they (the girls) wanted to (go to Malaysia). They insisted. I don’t even know them,” Santos replied.

An irked Mendoza interrupted Santos, saying, “But you know that these are kids! Right?”

‘Quality control’

The Santos sisters are accused of recruiting girls 14 to 16 years old to work for a “spa” in Malaysia with a salary of P500 to P30,000. The requirement: Budding or developed breats.

Like goods sold in the market, these girls also undergo “quality control,” according to Valenzuela City police chief Senior Superintendent Eric Armamento.

“Cristal is responsible for screening the girls,” said Senior Police Officer 1 Lorena Hernandez, head of the local police’s women’s desk.

Hernandez said the girls were brought to Cristal’s house in Viente Reales, where they were photographed in their underwear or skimpy clothes.

One of the victims said Cristal inspected her breasts, then sent a text message to Vilma saying that the girl passed muster.

Chinese-Malaysian businessmen tagged

The pictures were sent to Hans, who decides which of the girls will be sent to Malaysia. Hans will send Vilma money for the girls’ plane ticket to Zamboanga, Armamento said.

“From there, the girls will be transported to another province in Malaysia on board a speedboat.” Armamento said. “Chinese-Malaysian businessmen are responsible for this.”

According to Hernandez, the 14-year-old girls are sold for P50,000, while 15 to 16-year-olds are sold for P30,000.

“I get P3,000 per head,” Vilma told Mendoza.

Vilma has so far recruited five girls. Two of them filed charges, while the other two are reportedly in Malaysia. Police, meanwhile, are trying to rescue the girl who is still in Zamboanga.

“Do you have children?” Mendoza asked the sisters during the inquest.

The Santos sisters said yes. Cristal said she has one, while Vilma has four. They also said their children are all in the Philippines.

“All of you have children here yet you send other children to Malaysia. How can you feed your children using that kind of money?” Mendoza asked. The sisters did not reply.