JOINT police and military operatives have arrested two suspected illegal recruiters and rescued six human trafficking victims at a resort in Zamboanga City Tuesday, February 7.
The Zamboanga City Police Office identified the arrested alleged illegal recruiters as Ruel Donayre, 29, and Girlie Ignacio, 43, both residents of Sitio Pook in the village of Cabaluay, this city.
The police said the suspects were arrested and the six human trafficking victims were rescued around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the resort in the said village.
Investigation showed the victims were recruited by a certain Bensar of Tawi-Tawi to work in Malayia. However, the victims have not yet met with the recruiter since the transaction was done through text messages.
The police said the victims were scheduled to be transported from this city to Malaysia via Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday.
The police added the plane tickets, food, and accommodations of the victims in going to Zamboanga City were shouldered by Bensar and were told that the expenses will be deducted from their salaries once they land a job in Malaysia.
The police said the rescued victims, who are all women, were from Rizal province, Laguna, Baguio City, and Manila. The youngest among them is 19 and the oldest is 28 years old.
The rescued victims were placed under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. (Bong Garcia/VoxPop Philippines)