Five persons, three from Lapu-Lapu City, were arrested for allegedly recruiting a 16-year-old girl and 20-year-old woman to work in a bar.
Police identified the suspects as Marilyn Besolis, 32; Mirasol Aquino, 35; Carmelita Gunido, 43, all residents of barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu.
The alleged cohorts were identified as Ronald Panuncio, 46, and Reynaldo Sampan, 52, both from Antipolo City.
The arrest came when the father of the 16-year-old girl who was recruited by the suspects reported to the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office last Monday.
Police said Besolis went with the father to the police station to clear her name.
The father decided to report to the police when he learned from a 17-year-old girl, who was supposed to be one of the recruits, that the suspects were heard talking to bring them to a videoke bar instead of giving them jobs as helpers.
The father said her daughter left on Aug. 3.
After receiving the complaint, PO1 Michele Pajantoy of the women and children’s protection desk of the Lapu-Lapu City police, summoned Aquino and Gunido to the police station.
It was later learned that the two men from Antipolo had already left for Manila on board a passenger vessel along with the 16-year-old girl and the 20-year-old woman.
Pajantoy coordinated with the International Justice Mission (IJM) in Cebu which in turn contacted its counterparts in Manila.
Pajantoy confirmed with the Philippine Coast Guard that the girls and the two men had left for Manila.
The Cebu Coast guard alerted its sea marshals on board the passenger vessel.
When the vessel arrived in Manila, the two men were turned over to the Maritime police at the North Harbor while the recruits were brought to the IJM-Manil personnel.
The two men and the recruits arrived yesterday morning at the Mactan Cebu International Airport .
Senior Supt Rey Lyndon Lawas, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City police, said an investigation is underway to find out if the suspects are members of an organized group.
One of the women denied they were involved in illegal activities. She said they just helped the girls find a job as maids in Manila where a big salary awaits them.
Sampan and Panuncio said they volunteered to help the two women since they knew someone in Manila who needs helpers.
They also denied that they belonged to an organized group.