Police rescue 43 human trafficking victims

 

By Bong Garcia

Saturday, May 19, 2012
ZAMBOANGA City Police Office (ZCPO) operatives have rescued 43 victims of human trafficking, mostly minors, and arrested the suspected recruiter in this southern port city, a top police official announced Saturday.
Chief Superintendent Mario Yanga, police regional director for Administration, said the victims were rescued and the suspect was arrested around 8:56 a.m. Friday at a hotel along Governor Alvarez Avenue in downtown Zamboanga City.
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Yanga said the victims are from the villages of Makiri and Timpul, Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province.
Yanga identified the arrested suspect as Khaiser Salih, 25, a native of Isabela City.
The arrest of the suspect came after an informant tipped off Yanga concerning the presence of suspected human trafficking victims at Medio Hotel along Governor Alvarez Avenue.
Yanga immediately ordered Senior Inspector Gemma Luna, Women and Children Protection Desk chief, to lead a team of policemen to rescue the victims.
Investigation showed that some of the victims, who are of legal age, were recruited and will be brought by the suspect to Manila to work as teachers and to work at the Department of Health (DOH) and at the Senate, Yanga said.
The suspect allegedly has also promised scholarship grant to the other victims, who are minors, which the suspect said is sponsored by the National Government through the National Youth Commission (NYC).
When verified, Yanga said that NYC Commissioner Earl Saavedra has denied that they have scholarship program.
They were scheduled to be taken by the suspect to Manila on Friday, the day they were rescued.
It was further learned that the victims arrived in Zamboanga City from Isabela City last May 13.
Confiscated from the suspect’s possession were 112 envelopes containing application requirements of the victim, he said.
Appropriate charges are set to be filed against the suspect while the victims were turned over to the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
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