Chinese behind Pasay sex den sentenced to life imprisonment

MANILA, Philippines – A regional court in Pasay sentenced a Chinese to life imprisonment and imposed a P2-million fine after finding him guilty of masterminding the operations of a sex den in Pasay City.

The decision, handed down on November 28, capped a case that involved the exploitation of women in an establishment in Metro Manila raided in November 2023.

Li Yang, also known as Ayang, was found guilty of qualified trafficking in persons, a year after a raid conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) at the Shore Residences in Pasay City.

Yang’s partner and co-accused, fellow Chinese Chen Cui, and a Filipina, Ede Mae Epal, were acquitted based on reasonable doubt and insufficiency of evidence, respectively.

The rescue operation was conducted based on reports that Filipino women were being exploited in the sex trade at the condominium complex through online bookings via the Telegram app.

During congressional hearings, authorities linked Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), mostly run by Chinese groups, to sex trafficking and prostitution.

According to the Philippine National Police’s Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC), three individuals were arrested during a raid and initially charged with trafficking in persons. Cui and Epal were later acquitted, while the case against Yang resulted in his conviction.

Two other Chinese were found during the raid, but they were not identified. They were released on the same day of the raid.

WCPC chief Portia Manalad told Rappler in an interview on Tuesday, December 3, that Yang and Cui were identified by the complainant who had sought PAOCC’s help.

Forensic evidence collected at the scene had indicated the participation of Yang, Cui, and Epal.

“In cases of trafficking in persons, during the disclosure of the abuse, if our victims fail to identify the perpetrators, especially since there are no warrants of arrest against them, we release those individuals. Even during the on-site forensics, neither their devices nor the devices present at the scene led to the identification of the two individuals,” Manalad said.

“The two individuals were not identified, so they couldn’t be arrested since we didn’t have a warrant for them. The information provided by the trafficked victims only identified three people, which is why the male suspect was convicted. It appears that the complainants or victims specifically implicated the man (Yang),” Manalad added.

Cui and Epal were both ordered to be immediately released from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Pasay City. Cui was handed over to the Bureau of Immigration for deportation, while Epal is set to return home to Agusan del Sur with her husband on December 28.

Yang, who is behind bars at the BJMP in Pasay City, is not eligible for parole. – Rappler.com