Raps set for bar manager; 15 women, 2 girls rescued

Charges of human trafficking are being readied against the manager of a downtown bar in Cebu City following Thursday’s   raid by the police.

A total of    17 female club workers, including two minors were rescued.

The raid resulted in the arrest of Romulo Camaling, floor manager of Boss Karaoke and Bikini Bar in Sancianko Street, where several nightspots are located.

Camaling is set to be charged with violating Republic Act 9208 or the law against trafficking of persons at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

The  women were taken into custody by the Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The bar was placed under surveillance for  several weeks before the raid, which was conducted with assistance from the International Justice Mission (IJM), said Senior Insp. Maria Theresa Macatangay, chief of the task force.

Two of the females were younger than 18.

Social worker  Edna Regudo of the  DSWD’s Crisis Intervention Unit said they managed to confirm their  ages in interviews.

The females are residents of Cebu City while some from the province.

The  women will undergo stress debriefing and will be released.

The parents of the two minors will be called up before their children are turned over to them.

Andrey Sawchencko, national director of IJM Philippines, lauded the police and the DSWD for   the operation.

He said human trafficking victims were assaulted and treated as commodities for profit. IJM, a Christian nongovernment organization, has been active in the  campaign against human trafficking.

“If the evidence gathered is strong and there is prosecution of all owners and managers for trafficking crimes, vulnerable children and women will be safer as a result,” said Sawchenko in a text message to Cebu Daily News.