NBI raids massage clinic offering ‘lingam’ as freebie

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) operatives raid a massage clinic offering Lingam massage as “freebies” to clients, rescuing three therapists and arresting its manager (covered by green towel). Photos taken on July 30, 2024 in Pagadian City. —Leah Agonoy/Inquirer Mindanao

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) here raided a massage clinic that offered “Lingam” massage as freebie to clients, rescuing three therapists and arresting its manager for violations of the anti-trafficking law.

NBI Pagadian district office chief Joey Moran said the massage clinic Vitalidad at Rizal Avenue, Gatas district here appeared to operate a “clean” business at first glance except for the unusual freebie it was offering to customers.

“Being a massage clinic, they offer a massage. But the twist is, they offer freebies like massage on private parts,” Moran said. “The bottomline is they arouse the customer by touching his private parts.”

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Lingam is a type of tantric massage that focuses on the male organ. According to one of the rescued therapists, some customers sought the massage because of its claim as a cure for prostate cancer.

Moran said they received a report on July 22 about the massage clinic’s unusual freebies, prompting them to conduct an operation in the evening of Tuesday, July 30, with a poseur customer who tested the service using marked money and signaled to authorities to start the operation and rescue.

Among the three women therapists rescued by personnel of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), a 25-year old woman from Guipos town said they were giving the Lingam massage because of its claim to “prevent prostate cancer.”

All three rescued therapists denied they were giving “extra services to clients,” but confirmed that Lingam massage was part of the package of services they offered. At a price range of P700 to P2,000, customers can avail of a full body scrub inside the shower and Lingam massage.

“Even if they are massage workers accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), offering Lingam services is not part of their job,” said Joefel Daquiag, CSWD sectoral division head. “They have no idea that the offered packages harass them as women. All they knew was it’s part of the package and it’s part of their job. It degrades them as women and they were unaware of it,” Daquiag said.

Only three therapists and the manager were around during the raid.

Moran said they arrested the massage clinic’s manager, identified as Nenita Batelo, since the owner was not in the area. Batelo and the owner—who is still at large—will be charged with violation of Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

Moran said the NBI would also be looking into the operations of two other massage clinics in Zamboanga del Sur offering similar services.

The raided massage clinic, which opened in November last year, has around 20 branches all over Mindanao, according to Batelo.