Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Cops Rescue Minors From Cotabato Bar

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 28 Feb) - GOVERNMENT prosecutors indicted a ranking policeman, his wife and two others for allegedly hiring two minor girls from Davao City to work in a karaoke bar in Cotabato City.
The four were charged for violating Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking of Women and Children before the Regional Trial Court by Chief City Prosecutor Raul Bendigo.

Bendigo filed the charges based on the resolution of investigating prosecutor Trinidad Cardona. In her investigation, Cardona found probable cause the four connived in hiring the girls, ages 14 and 17 to work as guest relations officer at the bar owned by the policeman and his wife on February 18..

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) earlier filed charges against the suspects. The victims said they were promised jobs at a family entertainment center, not in karaoke bar.

The girls said they arrived in Cotabato City and started working a day after they were recruited. On February 20, operatives of the PNP-CIDG rescued the two girls and brought them back to Davao where they narrated their ordeal.

It was unknown how the police tracked down the girls. (Romy Bwaga)

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