3 Filipinas rescued from prostitution den in Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines - Three Filipinas were rescued recently from a prostitution den in Malaysia, Senator Manuel Villar has said.

Villar said Grace, Evelyn, and Rhea were rescued by officials of the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, with the help of Malaysian authorities, from a house in Kuching where they were locked up.

Embassy officials reportedly got the information about the prostitution den from Grace, who called up Villar’s overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Helpline (09174226800).

“The repatriation of three of our kababayan is a victory brought about by the cooperation of government agencies. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa tulong ng embahada sa Kuala Lumpur at Malaysian authorities sa maagap nilang pagtugon sa ating panawagan sa pamamagitan ng OFW Helpline," said Villar.

[The repatriation of three of our kababayan is a victory brought about by the cooperation of government agencies. I am thankful to the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the Malaysian authorities for their immediate action regarding the plea made to the OFW Helpline.]

Grace, who used to work in Japan as a singer, said that a recruiter in Cabanatuan in the northern Philippines offered her a singing job in Malaysia that will allegedly pay P250 per hour.

However, she said, she was forced to use cocaine and marijuana while entertaining customers who are also using drugs, with the owner telling her that she wouldn’t be able to earn and eat anything if she resisted.

“Pinagsasama-sama namin ang mga tirang mineral water ng customer para may mainom kami. Wala kaming sinisweldo. Yung nakukuha naming tip ang pambili namin ng pagkain at tubig," she added.

[We drank leftover mineral water of the customers because we were not paid. We used whatever tips we got from customers to buy food and water]

Grace said she was the only one trusted by the manager to be allowed to go out to buy food.

“Kung natagalan pa sila doon, baka lalo silang napahamak [If they stayed any longer, it might have been worse for them]," said Villar.

But when officials arrived to rescue the total of seven Filipinas working in the drug den, only Grace, Evelyn, and Rhea were the only ones brave enough to come out. They were repatriated on February 21.

Villar expressed dismay over the continued operation of human traffickers in the country despite the enactment of RA 9283 or the Anti-trafficking in Persons Act.

“I urge concerned authorities to go after these illegal recruiters and human traffickers and make sure that they will be dealt with the full force of the law," he said.

Since the OFW Helpline started operations in May last year, it has reportedly acted on more than 4,000 requests for repatriation, legal, and financial assistance for distressed OFWs in various countries. - Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV

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