7, including 3 Japanese, nabbed for human trafficking in Pangasinan

MANILA, Philippines - Authorities arrested seven persons, including three Japanese, during a raid on a English learning school in Pangasinan which fronts for a dating service for foreigners, the Philippine National Police said on Tuesday.

Police Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong,  PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group head,  said operatives nabbed Takayuki Umeda, Jyunko Natori, and Masahiro Kishigami, all Japanese; and Erlinda Tandoc, Leonora Ceralde, Josephine Gille, and Rafael Tandoc during the raid.

Magalong said the CIDG agents, armed with a search warrant, raided the Kame Hachi Corp. at no. 36 Avenida St., Rizal West Lingayen, Pangasinan on Monday evening.

The raiding team seized from the establishment various equipment used by the syndicate in their operation, including six laptops, 55, units of desktops, and 44 sets of CPUs, Magalong said.

The Filipina employees of the learning center were used to entice older Japanese men to come to the country for sex in exchange for money, Magalong added.

Magalong said the suspects will be charged with the violation of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012  before the Department of Justice.