THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 is still looking if the sex tourism syndicate uncovered in Lapu-Lapu City was part of a Korean mafia that President Rodrigo Duterte revealed.
For their part, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale called the rescue operation successful while Acting Vice Mayor Harry Radaza said they will take measures on the effect of the syndicate. Radaza heads the Lapu-Lapu City Council’s tourism body.
NBI 7 Special Agent Arnel Pura said, “We cannot conclude. It appears that the syndicate’s operation was limited to one group and no network which we conclude as a mafia.”
Pura said the Koreans were enticed by the three major players of the syndicate who is still at large.
The NBI 7 is also coordinating with the Korean consulate as they are having a hard time cracking the websites used to operate these sex tour packages.
Nine Koreans were arrested by the NBI 7, in coordination with the Provincial Women’s Commission, after they hired a syndicate that hires trafficked Filipina women for escorts and sexual partners in their vacation here in Cebu.
They were identified as Jongnam Ham, Jong In Han, Munsu Lee, Hosik Park, Joontae Kim, Jae Gyu Kim and Dongkil Kim.
No charges have been filed against Namgyun Shin and Byeonghae Park, who are awaiting their Filipino partners who had gone home before the operation.
Magpale, who heads the Provincial Women’s Commission, said the bureau’s operation success coincided with the National Women’s Month.
“I am happy that it was successful. We are sure that other foreigners are doing this to our women as it is a lucrative business but we will monitor them,” she said.
Radaza said the Lapu-Lapu City Government will put up measures to mitigate and consider all the aspects of the sex tour packages offered in Korea. He encouraged Korean hotel and beach owners to report any suspicious-looking foreigners.
They will be put under monitoring following the rescue of seven Filipina women aged 19-21 from their Korean sexual partners in Marigondon early Saturday morning.