NBI raids Angeles prostitution den

The establishment was allegedly employing women — some underage — for escort service with fees ranging from P20,000 to P30,000.

Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Luzon Regional Office apprehended recently five individuals — including two Korean nationals — for allegedly operating a prostitution den in Angeles City, Pampanga.

The NBI-CELRO identified the suspects as Edlyn Novenario, James Martinez Huang, Llewelen Martinez, Kang Min Su and Ming Gudu.

They were brought for inquest with the City Prosecutor’s Office of Angeles City for violation of Republic Act 9208 as amended by RA 10364 and further amended as RA 11862 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022) and Prostitution under the Revised Penal Code.

The operation stemmed from information received by the agency that a certain KTV bar located at Riverside Subdivision in Anunas was just a front for prostitution and the establishment was allegedly employing women — some underage — for escort service with fees ranging from P20,000 to P30,000.

A series of surveillance operations confirmed the information which prompted the NBI-CELRO to immediately plan an entrapment operation.

On 16 January 2023, NBI agents pretending as customers entered the establishment and announced that it was a raid.

NBI-CELRO assistant regional director Noel Bocaling said there are no local customers that can enter the bar, thus they decided to dress one of their agents to appear as a Japanese national.

Bocaling said the bar was operated by a Filipino-Korean while all of his business partners were Koreans.

The girls employed were exploited by the owners of the bar as they are being offered to the customers for a fee, while a mama-san will be the one to approach the customer to offer extra service or ‘sokoji’ fine.

NBI spokesperson Atty. Giselle Garcia-Dumlao said they recommend the filing of qualified human trafficking — a non-bailable offense — against the five suspects.