Suspect Jerrie Arraz
MANILA, Philippines – A “demon” was how the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief described the 46-year-old man recently arrested in Pasay City for selling sexual services of minors to foreigners.
Last Friday, the CIDG nabbed in an entrapment operation Jerrie Arraz in a Pasay City hotel where police rescued a 19-year-old woman and a minor who were about to give sexual favors to their customer.
According to Police Director Benjamin Magalong, CIDG chief, the 19-year-old victim, who goes by the alias “Ara,” is pregnant.
“Sa araw-araw ba naman na ginagamit ‘yung (bata), hindi na niya alam kung sino ang ama. Itong taong ito (Arraz) tawag talaga namin demonyo,” Magalong said.
On Monday, the CIDG presented to the media Arraz after he went through inquest proceedings at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Without remorse, Arraz admitted in an ambush interview having sex with his victims, even defending that he did the act to “help the girls.”
“Ang ginawa ko sa kanila, tulong. Para maituwid ang buhay nila. Kung may nangyari sa amin, kagustuhan namin iyon,” Arraz said.
Last October, Ara filed rape, prostitution and anti-cybercrime law violation complaints against Arraz, a certain Ramil, Patrick James Powell, an Australian; Gunter Dinger, Maurice Blose, and John Hudson.
From the complaint before the CIDG Women and Children’s Desk Protection Unit (WCPU), police cooperated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, International Justice Mission, Australian police, DOJ, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other local agencies to put Arraz under surveillance.
From OFW to pimp
It has been six years since Arraz came back to the Philippines after working as a driver in Saudi Arabia. When he returned to the country, Magalong said Arraz started his “business.”
His clients, based on the CIDG’s investigation, are mostly foreigners. Most of the clients Arraz catered were Norwegian, American and Australian.
“Through his connections in the provinces, he would offer the parents of minor boys and girls to help their children by giving them a job as house helpers in Metro Manila,” Magalong said.
Little did the victims know that they would be forced to work as “sex slaves” of Arraz when they reached Manila.
His oldest victim, “Ara,” a native of Mindanao, has been with Arraz for six years. Magalong said, before Arraz sold her to foreigners online, the suspect would rape her.
Aside from Ara, her 15-year-old sister “Beth” suffered the same ordeal.
Ara, Beth, a 15-year-old boy alias “Charlie” and a 15-year-old girl named “Deth” all lived in Arraz’ three-story house in a slum area on Pilot Drive in Barangay (village) Commonwealth in Quezon City.
Pieces of evidence gathered from Arraz’ residence that include tablets, sex toys, condoms and lubricants, and birth control pills.
How the business works
Asked how the transaction works, Senior Superintendent Harris Fama, CIDG WCPU chief, said Arraz would force the victims to have sex with him in front of the web camera while a foreigner customer watches them online.
Sometimes, Fama said the minors were forced to participate in group sex.
“If the live show on the Internet would entice the foreigners, Arraz would convince them to come to the Philippines,” Fama said.
“He would even tell the foreigners that he could arrange their papers so they could marry the girls.”
When the victims were subjected to medical examination after the rescue, Fama quoted the medical personnel as saying that the girls’ bodies have been “overused.”
After the consecutive operations on Arraz, police have seized a number of sex toys, women’s undergarments, pornographic pictures, birth control pills, Viagra, condoms and lubricants, personal computer sets, laptops and other gadgets.
Parents in provinces warned
With this, the police official advised parents of minors in the provinces to be wary of recruiters coming up to them, offering jobs for their children in Manila.
“Sa murang edad nila, hindi dapat pinapakawalan ng parents ang mga anak nila kahit mahirap sila,” he said.
In a separate operation, CIDG personnel rescued the teens in Arraz’ Quezon City residence.
“With the number of charges we filed to Arraz, definitely he won’t be able to go out of jail,” Magalong added.
The CIDG chief also urged the public to report to the police incidents similar to the case.
The rescued minors were put under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Arraz will be facing complaints of human trafficking, rape, child abuse and exploitation, violence against women, and violation of anti-cybercrime law.
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