The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday filed charges against four Korean nationals who were arrested last Thursday in Cebu for allegedly exposing local women to prostitution.
Wongun Ji, Dong Jun Lee, Jung Hyun Kim, and Gangil Jeung were charged before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office for violating Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.
They were indicted for committing the offense on a “large scale” or by a group of three or more persons, which makes the case fals under qualified trafficking, a potential non-bailable offense.
Assisted by Filipino lawyer Xzajyk Caing, the Koreans chose to undergo preliminary investigation.
Assistant City Prosecutor Ruso Zaragoza gave them until Monday, June 1, to submit their counter-affidavits and other evidence to refute the allegations.
The prosecutor will resolve the case within 15 days.
Caing, who was chosen by the Koreans to be their lawyer, said he has yet to study the case in detail.
The four Koreans were accused of operating a website like a travel agency that was used to entice other Koreans to visit Cebu and have paid sex with Filipinas.
The NBI is verifying the identity of a certain Peter Lim who was the local contact of the four Koreans in Cebu City.
The four Koreans who were arrested last Thursday are brought to the prosecutors office during the filing of the human trafficking case against them,
Meanwhile, a policeman assigned at the Regional Intelligence Division is being investigated after the NBI accused him of intervening in the arrest of the Koreans.
PO1 Kelvin Tuadles denied the accusation against him.
The NBI 7 acted upon the complaint of a Korean tourist who availed of the site’s tour package in Cebu City
The Korean tourist, said he was surprised to be offered the sexual services of a woman for a fee.
Based on the NBI investigation, the suspects were operating an online site named cafe.naver.com.
They allegedly offered tour packages which includes hotel accommodations in Cebu City as well as local women for sex.
Last Thursday, the Korean informant met with the woman who was offered for sex by the suspects. The informant paid US$150 to the woman who was accompanied by one of the suspects, Kim.
When the payment was received by the woman, the NBI led by Supervising Agent Greg Algoso approached and arrested Kim at Quest Hotel.
The woman later led the agents to the Sentinel Condominium where the alleged boss, Ji, and the other suspects were caught allegedly operating the website.
The Koreans were arrested and brought to the NBI 7 office.
The next day, the NBI secured a search warrant from Executive Judge Soliver Peras of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City amd confiscated the computer units and laptops of the Koreans.
The NBI is waiting for the result of the forensic exam conducted on the computers.
The Koreans are still detained at the NBI 7 stockade while waiting for the resolution of the prosecutor./with ADMU INTERN Shaneika Edryce T. Lim