MANILA, Philippines — Police rescued twenty five individuals, including four minors from an alleged prostitution den maintained by Chinese and Filipino traffickers in Parañaque City, the Southern Police District (SPD) said on Thursday.
The SPD said that one of the victims of the supposed prostitution operation approached Parañaque City officials about her concern, pinpointing a room at Bayport West Tower 5 in Barangay Tambo.
This prompted the Parañaque City Police Station’s Women and Children Protection Desk to launch an operation.
After entering one of the rooms, police officers caught one of the suspects, identified as Li Reng Rin, 32, a Chinese national, in the act of having sex with one of the victims while being filmed.
Li was immediately arrested, along fellow Chinese nationals Zhang Chao De, 22; Li Lin Chuan, 38; as well as Lily Morer De Jose, 29; Abegail Macahidhid, 22 and Ma. Liza Miguel, 22.
Most of the rescued victims are women, including the four minors aged 16 to 17 .
The SPD said the rescued individuals and the suspects are currently under the custody of the Parañaque City Police Station for proper disposition.
District Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg meanwhile said that such actions have no place in society, and thanked concerned citizens for reporting the crime.
“Walang puwang sa ating nasasakupan ang mga ganitong krimen na nananamantala sa ating kababayan at sumisira sa dignidad,” Macaraeg said in a statement.
(These crimes which prey and take advantage of Filipinos and destroy their dignity have no place in society.)
“Kayo ang susi upang ang ganitong mga klase ng krimen ay ating mapuksa at mawakasan. Binabati ko ang Parañaque City Police sa inyong mabilis na aksyon at ating nasagip ang ating mga kabataan,” he added.
(Your participation is key to solving and ending these criminal activities. I commend the Parañaque City Police for their quick action which resulted in the rescue of the young people from prostitution.)