GOVERNMENT agents arrested 15 Chinese nationals in separate raids for pimping their fellowmen, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said in a statement on Tuesday.

The suspects underwent inquest proceedings for violating Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, said Joel M. Tovera, chief of the NBI’s Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division.

NBI agents arrested three Chinese nationals on Dec. 11 after being tipped that Chinese female prostitutes were being booked in a hotel in Las Piñas City. They rescued 12 prostitution victims during the raid.

The agents arrested 12 more Chinese suspects in a subsequent raid of a three-story apartment also in Las Piñas, the NBI said. They rescued five more Chinese women who were being pimped via telegram, it said.

Mr. Tovera said the prostitution syndicates operate systematically, offering clients rates of P6,000 to P18,000. The second syndicate earned P400,000 to P500,000 daily, he said.

Prostitution is one of the offshoots of Philippine Online Gaming Operations involving Chinese nationals, NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand M. Lavin said at a briefing. “Most if not all of the clients are Chinese,” he added.

Mr. Lavin also said the NBI had met with high-level Chinese representatives last week to discuss how Chinese crime syndicates operating in the Philippines can be crushed.

The Chinese government, is “very much interested” in helping authorities go after the Chinese mafia involved in prostitution, kidnapping and illegal online gambling operations in the Philippines, Mr. Lavin said.

Both governments are in close coordination to track down Chinese mafia members and will share information, he said. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR