National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents rescued two girls, aged seven and 15, from three suspected sex traffickers in an entrapment operation in a hotel at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, officials reported yesterday.
The NBI said the alleged sex traffickers identified as Danica Bucaling, Mary Ann Buan, and Jayvy Badeo were apprehended during the operation conducted by members of the bureau’s Anti-Human Trafficking Division (NBI-AHTRAD) last March 20.
The rescued girls are cousins, one of them is a daughter of one of the suspects.
The NBI said that the suspects have been charged with violation of Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act; and R.A. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The bureau conducted the operation based on a formal referral from the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement-US Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-USHSI) concerning a person who was offering under-aged Filipino girls to clients of online sexually-related shows in exchange for money.
The NBI said the payment per show ranges from $50 to $60 and the amounts are paid through remittance centers. (Jeffrey G. Damicog)