Tuesday, August 12, 2008 Singaporean nabbed for ‘trafficking
THE Bureau of Immigration (BI)-Cebu has busted a syndicate that allegedly sends Filipino women to Japan, Singapore and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region to work as commercial sex workers.
Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro, who is detailed at the BI-Cebu, said intelligence operation resulted in the arrest of Singaporean national Cho Peng Lai, the syndicate’s alleged leader, in Manila.
BI-Cebu informed Commissioner Marcelino Libanan last Aug. 8 about the operation against.
“Our evidence on hand is adequate to establish that Cho Peng Lai is recruiting women in Singapore for the purpose of prostitution, in clear violation not only of our immigration laws but also our law on human trafficking otherwise known as Republic Act 9208”, read the letter of Alien Control Officer Reynaldo Almaden to Libanan.
Lots of women
A witness, Lucio Andrade Jr., said in a sworn statement that sometime in October last year, Cho Peng Lai, who was billeted in a hotel in Lapu-Lapu City that time, was introduced to him by a mutual friend because he (Andrade) knew a lot of women in their place.
Cho Peng Lai then asked him to help the Singaporean in opening a bar in Lapu-Lapu City which will employ women to entertain men in the area.
It was only in November last year that he found out that Cho Peng Lai was illegally recruiting Filipino women for Singapore.
Andrade said Cho Peng Lai and his live-in partner Jesel Torredes would recruit Filipino women in Cebu, Bohol, Davao and Manila by asking them if they wanted to earn dollars abroad quick.
“Of course, most of the women will accept the offer for economic reasons since most of them are poor,” Andrade said.
Andrade said the women were trained how to entertain men at Cho Peng Lai’s bar in Lapu-Lapu City. The training included arousing men by kissing and touching them, and sitting on their lap.
The women were scolded by Cho Peng Lai if they refused to follow his orders, Andrade’s affidavit said.
Mila Silario, a victim of Cho Peng Lai’s illegal operation, executed an affidavit stating that she was offered P15,000 a month to entertain customers in a bar in Singapore.
Last month, Silario said 10 girls were sent by Cho Peng Lai to Singapore. They are still there. Their names are being withheld.
Castro said Cho Peng Lai was arrested with two of his latest victims who were supposed to fly for Singapore and China. The women came from Cebu, Bohol, Davao and Oriental Negros.
Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said he will order BI-Cebu to run after the members of the syndicate who are still Cebu and Manila. (EOB)
