By Nanette Guadalquiver
BACOLOD CITY – The Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (pnp-CIDG) arrested two Malaysian nationals here for alleged labor trafficking.
In an interview Friday, PNP-CIDG Bacolod head Maj. Justin Noel Josol identified the suspects as alias “Sam Phoon,” 60; and alias “Abao” who is in his late 20’s.
Josol said they received a tip from one of the suspects’ hired workers, who said they were supposed to be call center agents but are working for an illegal online operation instead.
Following more than a month of surveillance, in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, Department of Justice, and Bacolod City Police Office, the CIDG obtained search warrants from Regional Trial Court Branch 45 for three addresses.
They served the search warrant at the house rented by the suspects in Barangay Singcang-Airport early Thursday morning, where they arrested the Malaysians and rescued seven victims.
“In the course of our investigation, we found that about 100 others have also been recruited,” Josol said.
“They recruited the victims to operate a love scam via a dating site, where they offer pornographic photos to European and American clients for a fee.”
He said some of the models who were recruited to pose for the photos are also working as online agents.
Meanwhile, they only found personal computers and other equipment in the other two addresses, one in the same barangay and the other in Barangay Handumanan.
“This a breakthrough because we were able to stop such kind of illegal operation in Bacolod. We also found out that this involves work-from-home agents. This was a very clandestine operation,” Josol said.
The suspects underwent inquest proceeding before the City Prosecutor’s Office Friday afternoon.
They will undergo a separate inquest proceeding with the BI for expired visas.
Josol called on the others victims recruited by the two suspects to serve as witnesses. (PNA)
