35 women rescued from Boracay videoke bars

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Around 35 young women were "rescued" from the videoke bars in Boracay Island in three separate operations by the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center (BTAC) and the Aklan Police Provincial Office last Thursday evening.

BTAC chief Senior Inspector Mark Evan Salvo, said the women were recruited as waitresses but they ended up as ‘prostitutes’ in the videoke bars.

The victims were rescued in Swampy Videoke Bar in Sitio Lugotan and Isla Bora in Sitio Bantud, both in Barangay Manoc-Manoc and Wave 98 in Sitio Hagdan in Barangay Yapak between 8:30 p.m. until midnight Thursday. 

A minor in the KTV bar was among those rescued in the operation. Police said the women were also caught for offering sexual services for P1,500 to a police asset.

During the entrapment, the marked money was found in the possession of one of the young women.  

Police said the employers of the 35 trafficking victims would be charged for allegedly allowing such illegal activities in their establishments.

Police Officer 2 Lenlyn Agapito, investigator of BTAC Women’s and Children Protection Desk, said the four suspects were detained at Boracay police station lock-up cell. 

They are facing violations of Republic Act No.  9208 or otherwise known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law of 2003, for allegedly recruiting 35 women for prostitution. 

The young women, who came from the provinces of Mindanao and Visayas, were turned over to Municipal Social Welfare and Development officer in Barangay Balabag. 

The law prohibits the identification of both the accused and the victims in human trafficking cases.

The entrapment operations were conducted in coordination with the Aklan Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group and the Municipal and Provincial Social Welfare and Development offices. 

Authorities are also monitoring other videoke bars in Boracay that are suspected to be engaged in human trafficking. 

They refused to names the videoke bars so as not to hamper their operations. Police also received reports that they also hired minors to work as entertainers.