Government operatives arrested two suspected human traffickers and rescued a victim during a pre-dawn operation Tuesday in this southern port city.
Col. Alexander Lorenzo, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director, said suspects as Annabel Delos Santos and Clemente Carpio were arrested for employing a 16-year-old girl as a sex worker in their establishment in Barangay Tulungatung.
Lorenzo said a third suspect, Jenielyn Roillo, remains at-large since she was not around when authorities launched the rescue operation around 2:20 a.m.
He said the 16-year-old victim is a native of Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay province, who confided to authorities that she has accommodated well-known, moneyed customers in exchange for sex.
Lorenzo said the rescued girl was turned over to the city social welfare office while the arrested suspects were detained at the ZCPO’s Station 9 for the filing of proper charges against them.
Lorenzo said a follow-up operation is underway to arrest the third suspect.
Source: Philippines News Agency
