33 Women Rescued From Sex Den in Philippines

MAKATI CITY, PHILIPPINES

The Manila Times reported yesterday that a brothel raid in Makati City, often referred to as the financial capital or "Wall Street" of the Philippines, rescued 33 women from a sex trafficking operation last week:

Thirty-three young women were rescued from a prostitution den in Makati City by a team of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents last week.

The rescue followed information received by the NBI that one of the "hottest new red light" districts has been operating in Makati City.

According to Romulo Z. Asis, head of the NBI Antihuman Trafficking Division, a surveillance was conducted on certain suspected establishments on Edison and Noble streets.

On May 7 an undercover operation was carried out by agents posing as pleasure seekers. Pimps immediately approached them and offered to lead them to young women for sexual purposes.

The agents were led to a house where at least 20 young women were seated in a lounge. The women, the pimps said, could be had for P3,000 [$57 US].

On May 17 the NBI raided the house. The raiding team found in the premises 33 young women, who were promptly taken to the NBI headquarters for custody.

The alleged owners of the house, said to be Joel Capote and Efren Edison, escaped. The NBI is still looking for them.

The suspects face charges of violating the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 and Article 341 (Antiprostitution) of the Revised Penal Code.