Four Girls Being Sold For Sex Rescued In Ilocos Norte

April 8, 2021 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (April 8, 2021) – Four young girls being offered for paid sex were rescued by the National Bureau of Investigation in remote Marcos town in Ilocos Norte Wednesday afternoon.
NBI-Laoag City District Office chief, lawyer Diosdado Araos said they also caught
Premia Saclayan-Verdadero, in her late 40s, to face charges of illegal trafficking in persons (RA 9208) and the special law on protection of children against abuse (RA 7610).
The four girls, also residents in Ilocos Norte towns, were being offered by Verdadero and after paying, would allow a room right in her own home for the “service”.
A “customer” earlier tipped NBI-Laoag City of the operation of Verdadero, prompting agents in coordination with the Ilocos Norte Provincial Social Welfare Office to hatch an operation Wednsday afternoon to end the trafficker’s illegal business exploiting women, added Atty. Araos.
The former customer-turned-government informant, NBI Intelligence Officer Darwin dela Cruz and two other undercover operatives posing as customers headed to Verdadero’s house in barangay Lydia, Marcos where two girls were already waiting. Two more girls were called by Verdadero to offer to the group.
As soon as dela Cruz handed over cash as demanded by Verdadero as payment of the “sexual services” of the four, other government agents closed in to arrest the sex trade leader. “She even tried to escape twice”, Atty. Araos said.
The four trafficked girls were turned-over to social workers to undergo processing while Verdadero, who according to the NBI had been into that illegal business for years, was booked to face charges.
NBI-Laoag found out that Verdadero offers her ward for P1,500 each.
Artemio A. Dumlao