A group of Russian women who were arrested while working as bar girls in Angeles City are set to be deported.
According to the Philippine News Agency, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) detained the 19 ‘guest relations officers’ at Club Angel in Clark Field. A raid on the club was launched on Wednesday evening.
Although the BI said they were caught “in flagrante” working as bar girls, the reason given for their arrest was all down to paperwork.
In a statement issued on Friday (January 19), Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said: “They will all be deported for working without visas and for other immigration offenses.”
The BI chief described the women as “undesirable aliens engaged in prostitution”. He added that customers were charged 1,500 pesos per hour for what he described as their “services”.
Also arrested at the club were two Korean men, who are accused of being the women’s recruiters and employers.
They have been identified as Jeong Seonghun and Lee Kyurak, both aged 30. They were working as the club’s cashier and manager, respectively.
BI intelligence officer Jude Hinolan said they were both overstaying in the country, having arrived on tourist visas that have since expired.
He added that the Russian women also arrived as tourists and that nine of them were found to be overstaying.
“We have recommended that charges for violating the anti-trafficking persons in act be filed against the two Koreans as they were the ones who supposedly facilitated the entry of these women into the country,” he said. “The Philippine immigration act strictly forbids foreigners from engaging in gainful activity without applying for work permits and visas.”
The women and the two men are now detained at the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. Deportation proceedings have been initiated against them.