AN ALLEGED member of a human trafficking syndicate was caught by the police in a village in Cordova.
Insp. Samuel Negro, the town police chief, said Elena (real name withheld) had been in hiding in the past years.
The 54-year-old suspect and her cohorts were investigated and charged after their involvement in trafficking of children and cyberpornography were confirmed by authorities in 2009.
Investigation showed Elena ran errands for the group like receiving payments from customers.
Elena has pending 19 counts of Republic Act (RA) 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 and RA 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
The trafficking charges are non-bailable offenses.
Elena was caught by the police last Dec. 6, after she went home toCordova from Camotes Island.
The operation was based on the warrants of arrest issued by Mandaue City Regional Trial Court Branch 28 Judge Alan Francisco Garciano.
Negro said the group, which Elena had been a member of, disbanded after the suspect’s cohorts were charged in court.
The police official said they are monitoring the other suspects who might return to Cordova.
For her part, Elena denied she hid to avoid arrest, saying she was not involved in any illegal activity.
She said she often stayed in her house, except for a time she traveled to Bohol to attend the funeral of her mother.
“Pobre ra intawn ko. Bisan pa ug adtuon nimo akong bay nga kahugnuon man gani, way kuryente (I am poor. Check my house; it is dilapidated and has no electricity),” Elena said.
The suspect said her former neighbors were the ones involved in online porn and human trafficking. She accused them of maligning her.
Elena remains in the custody of the Cordova Police Station after the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City refused to accept new inmates due to overcrowding. (From GCM of SupeBalita Cebu, KAL)