NBI 7 Files Crime Raps Against 4 Korean Nationals in ‘Sex Tourism’

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 has filed criminal charges before the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor against four Korean nationals for their alleged involvement in syndicated sex tourism in Cebu.

Lawyer Ricardo Diaz, NBI 7 chief, charged Koreans Wongun Ji, Dong Jun Lee, Jung Hyun Kim and Gangil Jeung with violation of Republic Act 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, as amended by RA 10364, the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

Under RA 9208, a person is prohibited “to recruit, transport, transfer; harbor, provide, or receive a person by any means, including those done under the pretext of domestic or overseas employment or training or apprenticeship, for the purpose of prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage.”

NBI 7 agent Gregorio Algoso Jr. said the bureau received information that a group of Koreans was promoting sex tourism in Cebu through the Internet and using Korean language to avoid detection by the local authorities.

The group caters exclusively to their fellow Koreans, but a fellow Korean ratted on their operations.

Xzaijyk Caing, lawyer of the four Koreans, said his clients signed a waiver of detention and were given until Monday next week to submit their counter-affidavit.

As this developed, Chief Superintendent Prudencio Yom Banas, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director, has ordered an investigation of a police officer who allegedly tried to bribe an NBI official to let the four Koreans go off the hook.

Bañas said he directed Senior Supt. Pablo Labra II to conduct inquiry into PO1 Alvin Khan Tuadles, who allegedly offered P2 million to NBI 7 Assistant Regional Director Augusto Eric Isidoro to release the four Korean nationals.

Tuadles is under the Regional Intelligence Division (RID), which Labra heads.

“We will get to the bottom of this (incident),” Bañas said. (PNA) CTB/EB/EDS