43 victims of trafficking rescued from 2 Cebu bars

CEBU CITY—Police rescued 43 women believed to be victims of trafficking from two bars here.

Inspector Ma. Theresa Macatangay, head of the regional police’s antitrafficking task force, said police have put the bars under surveillance for nearly a month prior to the rescue of the women.

On Saturday, three undercover policemen entered the bar and asked to be given women for sex for P3,000 per women.

Police teams on standby conducted arrests and raided the bars after pimps took marked money from the undercover agents.

The 43 women were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Six are believed to be minors. Many of the women have been released.

Mercedita Jabagat, regional director of the DSWD, quoted some of the women as saying their parents forced them to work in the bars.

Despite the raid, though, the bars continue to operate as no closure order has been issued against them, according to Macatangay.

Macatangay said the identities of the pimps and bar owners are being withheld pending the filing of charges against them.

She said police are preparing charges of violation of the antitrafficking law against the pimps and bar owners.