2 human traffickers indicted

STATE prosecutors have indicted two human traffickers who offered minor girls for sexual services.

In a statement yesterday, the Department of Justice-Task Force on Women and Children Against Trafficking in Persons said it had filed charges before the Binan City Laguna Regional Trial Court against Maria Jorgia Gadiano and Princess Anne Custodio for five counts of qualified trafficking for violation of Republic Act 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act in relation to RA 10175, better known as the Cybercrimes Act of 2012.

The DOJ recommended no bail for the accused.

The complaint was filed against the two by the National Bureau of Investigation-Human Trafficking Division.

Records of the case showed that last April, an informant tipped the non-government organization The Exodus Road about a possible case of human trafficking committed by Gadiano through social media.

The following month, an Exodus employee met with Gadiano and Custodio to confirm the modus operandi. With the report validated, the NGO reported this to the NBI, which hatched a plan to catch Gadiano in the act.

An entrapment operation was set a few days later in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development at a resort in Binan, Laguna.

Gadiano and Custodio, together with seven girls, arrived at the supposed “stag party” cooked up by the NBI operatives, where a poseur team struck up a conversation with the two to ascertain the veracity of Exodus’ allegations.

“It was established that the girls were available for sexual service for a fee of P4,500 each, with them earning P2,000 after deducting the commissions of Gadiano, Custodio, and a minor whom Custodio instructed to bring additional girls,” part of the DOJ indictment said.