AS early as September 2019, PS Resolution 131 was filed in the Senate by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, urging a Senate investigation in aid of legislation on the recent rescues of sexual trafficking victims, and probe into prostitution rings in the country and “to examine the circumstances that push women from vulnerable sectors of society to work under exploitative conditions.” Hontiveros cites the following factual circumstances:
Last September 6, six Vietnamese women were rescued in a condominium in Makati City. They were held in what was allegedly a prostitution den managed by two Chinese women named Kuang Meiting and Li Xiumei.
The rescued victims and arrested suspects are in the country only with travel visas, and already have departure tickets before their visas’ expiry.
Foreigners, particularly Chinese men working in nearby Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), were the main clientele of the prostitution ring. The transactions with the prostitution ring also took place in a Chinese social-media app. Promotions by the prostitution ring shows that the trafficked women, mostly Vietnamese, Chinese and Malaysian, could be chosen in a “show room.”
The trafficked victims could be hired for at least P9,000 for “to-go” services. The costumers could also rent the condominium units for P4,500 per night.
The suspects—Kuang Meiting and Li Xiumei—were detained at the NCRPO headquarters and are facing charges for violating RA 10364, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.
Last August, 34 Chinese women who are believed to be human trafficking victims were rescued from a KTV bar in Cebu City. The victims were allegedly promised legitimate work in an offshore gaming company in Cavite, but were coerced into working in a KTV bar in Cebu.
The trafficked victims have tourist visas that are only valid for three months. The NBI investigation of the incident revealed that the victims were “working” as high-class prostitutes.
The NBI arrested four Chinese women during their operation in the KTV bar. Their identities are: Zeng Dan, Quan Yiqing, Xiuzhu Weu and Xiushen Wei. There are also four other suspects that acted as managers and supervisors that were still being hunted down.
During the course of the NBI investigation, it appears that the KTV bar where the victims were rescued were exclusive to Chinese nationals because the Filipino NBI informant was denied access when he tried to enter the said bar. The bar charges P6,000 for the use of an exclusive VIP room, and P7,500 for a female entertainer.
The arrested Chinese women were charged for the violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
A special report of The
Philippine Star on June 17, 2019, revealed that Filipinas are being
employed by
POGOs as card dealers in virtual casinos.
Some POGOs have Filipina card dealers clad in shorts.
Hontiveros claims that “the objectification of women in the gambling industry as evidenced by the Filipinas in POGOs, and the more serious problem of sexual slavery experienced by human trafficking victims here in the Philippines that coincidentally have POGO operators as clientele are problems that have underlying roots in the misogyny that have been normalized by a president who has delivered sexist remarks without care or remorse.”
At the Senate hearing on January 28, 2020, Hontiveros showed photos depicting women and their “menus of services” that are being passed around in social-media chat groups. The senator urged the Senate to look into suspending POGO operations because they attract Chinese criminals into our country.
Joining the call of Hontiveros, Quezon City Councilor Winnie Castelo has called for a hiring freeze on people coming from China for POGO operations in Quezon City as these operations have allegedly led to the proliferation of prostitution. Worse, with the suspected number of coronavirus infections increasing each day, Castelo expressed concern that the virus can easily spread though the POGO establishments.
Most of the victims in these Chinese-run prostitution dens are minors.
With sexual trafficking, prostitution, exploitation of minors and imminent spread of the coronavirus in these POGO establishments, my view is that these POGO establishments must be immediately closed and all POGO operations in the country declared illegal.
A billion-dollar industry will never outweigh the wreckage it is doing to our women and minors, to society and the country as a whole. Will we wait again until it is too late just to spare the feelings of omnipotent/omnipresent China?
1 comment
how about the casino???