DILG chief admits Chinese prostitution rings ‘more challenging’ to track down

MANILA, Philippines — Tracking down Chinese-operated prostitution rings in the country has proven to be “more challenging,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año admitted Wednesday as he assured that authorities are stepping-up its drive against sex dens in the country.

“Lately, mga Chinese nationals na dinala from mainland China, dinala rito para maging prostitutes. Minsan ito ang mahirap i-monitor (be) cause they communicate just among these Chinese community,” Año told reporters in an interview.

“Mas madali pa ang local kasi nare-report agad sa atin na nagpunta ng Manila tapos suddenly wala nang contact sa magulang, then nakaka-initiate kami nang pag-locate pero kapag mga Chinese nationals yung ginagamit, medyo mas challenging,” he added.

This comes after it was disclosed during a hearing by the Senate committee on women that Chinese prostitution rings have emerged and are operating online. These prostitution rings offer Chinese women who are delivered to the hotel rooms of customers who pay for sex.

Such services, which mostly cater to Chinese nationals,  emerged in the wake of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) in the country, an official from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said during the hearing

Año said he would personally order Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa to “make sure that we have enough police units” to monitor Pogos across the country.

“We will step up our monitoring and surveillance on these Pogo centers now. It has become into national attention,” he said.

“Magiging proactive tayo dito. Ang ating PNP naman di naman yan natutulog, talagang they react. They do appropriate legal and enforcement actions pero kapag ganyang may dumarating na mas maraming mga concerns, ini-step up natin yung ating mga actions towards these problems,” he added.

According to Año, authorities have already placed Pogo operations “under watch” amid complaints of prostitution and kidnapping incidents.

“Actually we have placed these Pogo centers including these Chinese buildings under watch. There are so many complaints that we received, may prostitution even kidnapping of some Chinese nationals,” he said.

“So, all these Pogo centers, they are under the watch of the Philippine National Police and we will prevent any commission of a crime or any violation of law and order,” he added.

Año said they are also working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the NBI to track down online prostitution operations.

“We work with DICT and other law enforcement, even with NBI. Just provide us the information and readily, we will take actions,” he said.

Edited by MUF