Dietmar “Timmy” Moenig, 65, (left) gets some shuteye on his cot in the Cordova police sation after his arrest on suspicion of human trafficking. (CDN PHOTO/ NORMAN V. MENDOZA)
A 65-year-old German was arrested in Cordova town, Mactan island in Cebu where neighbors said young females were seen frequenting his rented house in a case of suspected human trafficking.
Dietmar “Timmy” Moenig was arrested by police who served a search warrant in No. 64, Vermont Street, in Golden Meadow Subdivision on Wednesday afternoon.
Cordova police were accompanied by staff of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) in searching Moenig’s house.
Regional Trial Court Judge Mercedita G. Dadole Ygnacio of Mandaue City authorized them to search the house “at any time of the day and forthwith seize the cellular phones used in connection with the prostitution and sexual exploitation of the undetermined number of female minors and rescue the female minors.”
Moenig was described by police as a former financial consultant of a private company in Germany.
Inspector Alexander Nunez, Cordova police chief, who led the raid, said law enforcers arrested a 31-year-old woman, who was in the house and took into custody her 14-year-old daughter.
The girl was turned over to the care of social workers.
Nunez said police also recovered two cellphones and photos of children in the house.
Moenig had been staying in his house alone since last year.
Police said that after surveillance was conducted, there was reason to believe that Moenig was engaged in trafficking of persons by hiring and receiving several female minors in the guise of domestic employment.
He would allegedly contact them by cellular phone “for the purpose of sexual exploitation and prostitution” at his resident in Goledn Meadow Subdivision, according to the search warrant.
Neighbors first tipped off the police about seeing children, some of them accompanied by adults, frequenting Moenig’s house. Some homeowners also complained about the suspicious activity.
Police said they were concerned about the 14-year-old daughter of the woman, who were both found in the house.
The mother said she was hired by Moenig to do the laundry and some household chores, and that she just brought her daughter with her to help her do her duties.
Nevertheless, the police filed charges against the mother for violation of Republic Act 10364 also known as the Expanded Anti-human Trafficking Act.
The arrest in Cordova took place a day after police arrested a 57-year-old British man who was seen bringing two females, including a minor, inside a hotel room in Cebu City.
Senior Insp. Michael Virtudazo, chief of the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG-7), said they will file charges of human trafficking charges against 57-year-old Christopher John Bragoli.
Virtudazo said police are waiting for the official statements of the two rescued females before they file charges against Bragoli, who arrived in Cebu last Sunday.
The International Justice Mission (IJM) commended ACG-7 and local police for their succesful operation against Bragoli as well as the rescue of the minors.
“Everyone should know that Filipinos are not here to be sexually exploited; rather, they are here to live their lives in freedom and their God-given dignity is to be respected. Anyone who sexually exploits children in the Philippines, whether through online sexual exploitation or other forms of sex trafficking, should know that local law enforcement will aggressively hold perpetrators accountable,” said John Tanagho, IJM-Cebu deputy field office director.
Bragoli, who is detained at the Fuente Police Station, told police he was in Cebu is to teach youngsters about hip-hop dance. Women sent him photos of themselves through Facebook. Police seized Bragoli’s cellphone, laptop computer and digital camera in the hotel.
A 31-year-old laundrywoman is arrested with him after police suspect that her teenage daughter is a victim.
The gadgets will be examined to check if the man was involved in cyber pornography.
“Hopefully, we can get more evidence that we can use against him,” said Virtudazo.
Virtudazo said police are monitoring other foreigners suspected to be involved in human trafficking in Cebu City and other places in the province.
“We already have a list of their online accounts and also their pictures. Some of them might just be using aliases,” Virtudazo said.