Authorities raided a five-star hotel in Metro Manila to rescue 40 women of different nationalities from an alleged international prostitution ring. The price of the women ranges from P50,000 to P250,000 each.
NBI-Special Task Force found the foreigners involved in the high-tech prostitution inside VIP suite rooms.
According to the NBI, in addition to using social media, the syndicate also uses QR codes attached to a lighter to get customers.
“Itong mga QR codes ‘pag ini-scan ng client nila, mag-a-appear ‘yung site kung saan makikita at makakapamili sila ng babae at kung anong serbisyong kayang gawin at kung magkano,” said Atty. Gerald Geralde, chief of NBI Special Task Force.
(When a customer scans the QR codes, the site where they can choose the woman, service, and its price appears.)
“Hindi lang Chinese prostitutes ang ginagamit or inaabuso kundi maging Russians. In our case may isang Japanese at saka meron ding Vietnamese, so international na ang scope ng mga operation ng prostitution ring na ito,” Geralde added.
(Chinese prostitutes are not only used or abused but also Russians. In our case, there is a Japanese, and there is also a Vietnamese, so the scope of these prostitution ring operations is international.)
40 Japanese, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese women rescued from international prostitution ring
To avoid getting caught, the syndicate pretends to hold a “single mixer” o “meet-and-greet” party in a suite of a huge hotel so the customers and the foreigner women could meet.
“Parang doon lang sila nag-meet, as two consenting adults eh nag-agree sila sa isang one night stand kung tawagin, kaya ito ang kanilang way para maitago, mai-conceal ‘yung kanilang prostitution activities,” said Geralde.
(It seems like they just met, as two consenting adults, they agreed to a one night stand as called, so this is their way of concealing their prostitution activities.)
The syndicate charges P100,000 per person to enter the venue. Additionally, the price ranges from P50,000 to P250,000 if a client wants to have sex with the foreigner.
The NBI brought more than 80 people, including the 40 rescued women, 30 Chinese customers, and eight Chinese procurers.
Geralde said the international prostitution den is an off-shoot of the POGOs in the Philippines because the prostitutes cater to POGO workers.
The arrested foreigners refused to speak when asked to give a statement. They were charged with human trafficking.
The NBI will refer the rescued foreigner women to the Bureau of Immigration after the verification process so they could return to their respective countries.