Ex-beauty queen, 5 Russians rescued in Makati trafficking operation

National

SIX women, including a former beauty queen and five Russians, were rescued on Thursday, Aug. 13, as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) moved against an alleged human trafficking operation in Makati City.

The NBI’s International Operations Division (IOD) conducted the operation early Thursday at a luxury hotel, resulting in the arrest of a male talent manager and owner of a well-known modeling agency.

The NBI said it launched the operation after receiving information that the women, including pageant titleholders, artists, and models, were allegedly being offered for commercial sexual exploitation at varying hourly or overnight rates.

The alleged scheme also involved arrangements for local and international travel for companionship services, according to the NBI.

During the entrapment operation, the NBI agent-on-case arranged to book the women offered by the suspect.

“The subject agreed to provide the women at a discounted rate of P25,000 each plus commission,” the NBI said in an Inquirer report.

The suspect was arrested after receiving the marked entrapment money from the NBI-IOD poseur-operative.

The six women are now under the protective care of the Makati City Social Welfare and Development Office for appropriate aftercare and necessary interventions.

The arrested suspect underwent inquest proceedings and faces charges for violations of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.(MyTVCebu)