Three women were arrested when police raided a lodge believed to be a prostitution den in barangay Pahina Central, Cebu City.
Police withheld the names of the three women whom police said worked as commercial workers who also sold illegal drugs to their customers.
“Mga biktima sad sila (They are also victims),” said Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, head of Cebu City Police Office’s Intelligence Branch.
Santander said they raided Jovenc’s Lodge in Sanciangko Street around 11 p.m. last Tuesday after they received reports from Camp Crame that the establishment has been used as a prostitution den.
Based on the report, there were commercial workers frequenting the lodge and selling drugs to their customers.
Santander said three police decoys went to the lodge and hired the three women.
The three women were then arrested after accepting P300 in marked money.
Santander said although they failed to recover illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia were found in one of the rooms of the lodge.
Santander said they suspected that the supplier of the drugs was just within the area.
“It seemed that prostituion has been ongoing in the lodge since the three women can easily enter the lodge,” said Santander in Cebuano.
Vergie Vega, owner of the lodge, denied that the establishment was used as a prostitution den.
She said she made enemies out of her policy not to accept customers who would engage in illegal activities in the lodge.
She said it was the first time that the three arrested women checked in at the lodge.
Santander said a charge of possession of illegal drug paraphernalia will be filed against the three women. The three women could also be charged for vagrancy, said police.
Aside from the possibility of shutting down the lodge, Santander said they are also studying the filing of human trafficking charges against Vega.
Prior to the raid, a commotion broke out between a policeman and an owner of an eatery located beside the lodge.
Rene Sumbilon, 41, accused PO3 Aldred Balverde of punching him in the face and stomach.
Sumbilon was having a drinking session with his friends outside his eatery when Balverde and other policemen arrived.
Sumbilon said he blocked Balverde when he saw a firearm tucked in his waist although he was in civilian clothes.
It was then that the policeman boxed Sumbilon.
Balverde, in a separate interview, said he was alarmed when Sumbilon blocked him, thinking that the man would attack him.
“Nakadawat na mi ug info prior sa operasyon na magbantay daw mi kay naa’y mudunggab namo. Dili sad g’yud lalim ang lugar oy, (We were warned that someone will stab us once we we reach the place. The place was dangerous,” said Balverde.
Sumbilon said he was willing to file charges against the policeman.