DAVAO CITY–The Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) police filed trafficking cases against two Japanese nationals and a Filipino over the alleged trafficking of 13 Japanese nationals, among them, minors.
Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz, the spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) XI, said on Tuesday that the two Japanese – identified as Hajime Kawauchi, 61, and Yuya Kawauchi, 35, a martial arts trainer; and Filipino Lorena Arbiz Mapagdalita, 56, are now detained at the IGACOS police detention facility.
Mapagdalita alleged served as guardian of the 13 trafficked women and a male, seven of whom are minors.
Driz said the operation of the suspects was discovered after Mapagdalita reported to the police that four of her Japanese wards were missing.
This prompted the police, led by Supt. Venus Ortuyo, to conduct an investigation. Investigators found out that the victims were forced into labor and were being maltreated at the facility located in Purok 5 Camotes, Barangay Toril, Babak, IGACOS.
The police then asked the assistance of the Regional Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) XI composed of the police, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD), Department of Justice and the Commission on Human Rights.
The team also coordinated with the Japanese Consulate because the victims could hardly speak and understand English.
On May 2, IACAT team rescued the nine adult and minors and arrested the suspects.
Driz said the four Japanese nationals, who were earlier reported missing, were found out to have sought the help of the Japanese Consulate here. They are now in the custody of the Japanese consul.
The other three rescued female Japanese minors are now under the custody of DSWD Home for Girls and Women in Maa, this city while the six male Japanese are in the custody of CSWD in IGACOS.
Driz said five cases for violation of Republic Act 10364 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012) and five cases for violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Child Abuse Law were filed against the suspects on Monday.
However, Driz said the cases for violation of the Child Abuse Law against the suspects were junked for insufficiency of evidence. Based on further investigation, Driz said the Kawauchis arrived in Davao City last year. As shown in their passports, they have been in the country for the past 12 months.
It was further learned that the victims were trafficked through a website advertising about a school for English and Karate in the Philippines. The website is now being verified by the Anti-Cyber Crime Unit.
The parents of the victims availed of the offer and reportedly gave PHP100,000 or (¥210,931) per month to the suspects. The suspects reportedly gave the children PHP1,000 (¥2,109) per month. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
