Lapu police rescue 6 Chinese women from ‘prostitution den,’ arrest their ‘handler’

Police will file a case in violation of the Anti-trafficking of Persons Act against the owner of the pension where six Chinese women (pictured) above were rescued from alleged prostitution activities in Lapu-Lapu City. | Photo courtesy of Police Lieutenant Colonel Dexter Calacar

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Chinese men are always seen visiting a pension house in Barangay Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City at night.

The presence of Chinese nationals there made neighbors suspicious that the area may have been used as a prostitution den, which prompted them to report the matter to the police.

Lapu-Lapu City Police rescued six female Chinese nationals and arrested another, who was believed to be a pimp, in an operation at 1 a.m. Tuesday, August 27, at the A’s Guest House in Barangay Bankal.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Dexter Calacar, head of the operating team, said an informant told them that Chinese men would visit the pension house at night to choose a woman companion and pay a certain amount before taking her out.

“Nag complain nga kada gabii daw naa mag sige abot nga foreign nationals unya murag gin bugaw ang mga baye,” Calacar told CDN Digital.

(The informant raised a complaint on the presence of foreign nationals who would visit the place at nighttime and choose among the prostituted women.)

Calacar that they managed to confirm the tip given by their male informant when they visited the place at dawn today.

Zhang Huan, 30, was the one who faced the police.

Huan presented herself as the handler of the Chinese women, Calacar told CDN Digital.

“According sa atoa informant daghan diay ni sila nga gi grupo-grupo.  This will be for follow-up nato,” said Calacar.

(According to our informant, these Chinese nationals came to Lapu-Lapu City in groups. That will be the subject of our follow up operations.)

READ: Female Chinese nationals face anti-trafficking charges 

Earlier this month, the National Bureau of Investigation Central Visayas (NBI-7) rescued 34 Chinese women who were believed to have been trafficked in a KTV bar in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City.

During their investigation, Calacar said they found out that Zhang rented the A’s Guest House, a two-storey pension house that is located along Mactan Airport Road in Barangay Bankal.

Zhang and the six other Chinese women, who were under her care, occupied all of the six rooms at the pension house.

Calacar said they arrested Zhang and took custody of the six women whom they will later turnover to the Chinese Consulate in Cebu.

The women, he said, were unable to present any work permits and possessed incomplete vacation visas.

Zhang is now detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Police detention facility while they prepare a complaint for the violation of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act.

Calacar said they will also include the owner of the pension house in their follow up investigation to especially determine if they also have a hand in the prostitution of the Chinese women. | dcb