The combined efforts of the Lapu-Lapu City police and the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and non-government organization International Justice Commission (IJC) led to the arrest American national Niel Allen Selman and his Filipina wife Julieta.

The rescued minors are working at the Cadillac Café and Resto-bar in Barangay Basak that is owned and operated by the Selman couple.

PO3 Christian Torres said information was relayed to them by the agents of the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) 7 on the alleged exploitation of the minors by the couple who have hired the girls as waitresses.

He said they had confirmed after surveilance operations that the minors were being paid a measely R80 a day as waitresses.

The minors, according to Torres, were even made to wear mini-skirts and skimpy shirts to look sexy while working.

The police also arrested two other foreigners, American Claude Anthony Morgado, 46, and Australian Macky Douglas, 54, for allegedly meddling in the rescue operation.

Torres said the raiding team also confiscated a laptop, two central processing units, a video camera, pictures of naked young girls, and condoms.

According to Torres, the bar owners will be charged with violations of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Labor Act, and R. A. 8282, for failing to register their workers with the Social Security System, and R. A. 7627, for failing to comply with the R250 daily minimum wage.

Human trafficking and child prostitution charges are also being considered as possible charges against the couple who are under custodial investigation.

Morgado and Douglas, on the other hand, will be charged with obstruction of justice.