2 minors among 8 female sex workers rescued by police in Manila night club

MANILA, Philippines—Eight female sex workers, two among them minors, were rescued from a night club in Sta. Mesa, Manila in a raid conducted by police operatives Tuesday night, according to Police Director Samuel Pagdilao, Chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

The Women and Children Protection Division (WCPD) of the CIDG arrested the floor manager of the Shine 2010 KTV Bar located at 3038, Santol Extension in Sta. Mesa Manila for selling minors in a rampant sex trade, Pagdilao said.

The raid, which took place around 10:30 p.m.Tuesday, was led by Police Superintendent Emma Libunao and members of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

According to Pagdilao, the raid was based on the information given by a 63-year old woman who was asking for help from the police in finding her 16-year old niece who ran away from their home in Pasig City since August. She believed that her niece was working as a Guest Relations Officer or GRO, a euphemism for commercial sex worker.

Diara Sangbabaan was told by a former coworker of her niece that they were sold to customers for one thousand pesos in exchange for sexual services.

Sangbabaan’s niece was not found in the night club. One of the workers there told CIDG operatives that she was working in a restaurant owned by her boyfriend in San Juan City.

The niece was found in the restaurant in a follow-up operation. She voluntarily accompanied the police when they informed her that her aunt had requested for help from the police.