NBI-7 Director: ‘Chinese Consulate in Cebu respects our procedure’
The four female Chinese nationals believed to be the managers of 34 women who were rescued in an operation conducted by NBI agents will be facing anti-trafficking charges.
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) said the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Cebu expressed gratitude to the authorities for rescuing the 34 Chinese female tourists from prostitution and trafficking in an operation conducted on August 2 in Lapu-Lapu City.
Lawyer Tomas Enrile, director of NBI-7, said Vice Consul General Wu Xiaomin personally thanked the bureau for their swift action in arresting the four Chinese women, who brought the 34 females to Cebu to work for a bar.
Enrile said the 34 Chinese female tourists were made to believe that they were hired as employees for a Philippine Online Gaming Operation (POGO).
Instead, they were made to work as guest relations officers (GRO) in a bar in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City.
Reports from concerned citizens led NBI-7 to conduct surveillance of the bar and the women for one month.
The bureau later learned that the 34 women arrived in Cebu by batches and were then told to work in the bar.
READ: Female Chinese nationals face anti-trafficking charges
Enrile said the Vice Consul General said they will not tolerate Chinese citizens who violate the law of the country they are currently staying.
Enrile said the Vice Consul General also assured him that the Chinese Consulate in Cebu will respect the rules of the Philippines and will give full authority to the NBI-7 on the case involving the four Chinese women.
“He (Vice Consul General Wu Xiaomin) said they will respect our procedure,” said Enrile.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 7, the Chinese Consulate in Cebu said that they met with NBI officials right after they received a notice from the bureau.
The Consulate said the 34 Chinese female tourists were” allowed to leave the NBI premises” on Monday evening, August 5, because there was no proof showing that they are involved in illegal actions.
“We will continue to check the progress of the case and maintain in close contact with the officials of the NBI,” said the statement.
The four women are currently detained at the jail facility of NBI-7 while waiting for the commitment order from the court which would indicate their transfer to another facility under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
Enrile said they are also conducting continuous monitoring to locate the whereabouts of four other women, who were not in the area during the raid, but were reported to be involved in the prostitution activity.
Enrile said they will wait for the warrant to be issued before they will go on full force investigation and arrest the suspects.
Meanwhile, the bar in Lapu-Lapu City where the 34 Chinese female tourists were rescued will remain open as it showed complete permits and registration of business. / celr
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