Bar manager denies ‘rescued’ Boracay women works as sex entertainers

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The suspects accused of recruiting 35 women rescued in Boracay videoke bars denied forcing them to have sex with customers.  

Worse, they accused the policemen involved in the operations of illegal raid without obtaining search warrants.

“Hindi namin pinipilit ang mga babae, sila ang kusang pumupunta sa amin. Dumadami sila kasi nag-aanyaya rin sila ng kanilang mga kasama mula sa Iloilo at Maynila,” said Remar Regaspi, 27-year old Isla Bora videoke bar manager. 

Legaspi said, “walang minor girls sa videoke bar, hindi kami kumukuha ng mga minors ditto. May mga pink card ang mga babae sa bar namin.  Sila ang halos na nag-kokontrata sa mga kustomer. Ang mga babae ang kusang nagdedesisyon kung lalabas sila o hindi.”

Some of the bar owners assorted jewelries and money were allegedly taken by the raiding team, he said. 

“Pati ang mga gamit ng amo ko, mga alahas, cellphones, bag at kwarta kinuha ng mga pulis.”

Last Thursday, police rescued 35 women from three videoke bars in the barangays of Manoc-Manoc and Yapak for alleged human trafficking violations. 

Joint elements of Boracay Tourist Assistance Center (BTAC) and the Aklan Police Provincial Office in coordination with the members of Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office conducted the operation between 8:30 p.m. until midnight leading to the arrest of three bar owners and a bar manager.  

Three bar owners were also arrested by the police last week.  They were identified as Dodie Cawaling,  39, native of Poblacion, Nabas, Aklan and owner of Zwamppy videoke bar in Sitio Lugutan, Manoc-Manoc; Arlyn Serato, 39, resident of Sitio Hagdan, Yapak and owner of Wave 98 Videoke Bar and Jack Castro, 42, resident of Sitio Tambisaan, Manoc-Manoc and owner of Isla Bora. 

During the entrapments, police assets gave marked money in exchange for sexual services. Operatives recovered from Castro, native of San Fernando, the marked money amounting to P500 and unmarked money of P1,000 used by the police asset during the raid.

Also from Cawaling, the police recovered P1,600 marked money while marked money of various denominations were also found in the possession of Serato. 

As of Monday, the suspects are detained in Kalibo lock-up cells pending filing of charges for violations of Republic Act No. 9208 otherwise known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law. 

Earlier, acting Aklan police provincial director Senior Superintendent Samuel Nacion said the women were turned over to social workers of DSWD at Daeangpan it Kababayenhan in Kalibo, Aklan.