Elements of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bohol Provincial Police nabbed a suspected illegal recruiter along with eight of his victims on board a passenger ship in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, the PCG reported Tuesday.

The police elements, according to S/Insp. Vener Pascual Santos, Intelligence Officer from the Bohol Provincial Police, asked immediate assistance from the Coast Guard Station-Tagbilaran after receiving verified information that some of the persons they were looking for were all on board inside M/V Our Laday of Good Voyage bound for Manila.

Personnel from CGS Tagbilaran, together with S/Insp. Santos and his team, Kagawad Esther Piollo, Head of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s Task Force on Human Trafficking, and PO3 Melinda Basalo from the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s Women’s Desk proceeded to the Starlite Terminal in Tagbilaran Port, coordinating with the office of 2GO Aboitiz and made arrangements at the pre-departure scanning and identification process of passengers for possible apprehension.

The team immediately arrested the suspected illegal recruiter identified as Alexander Moncada, 48. Initial investigation conducted by the Bohol Police disclosed that the eight victims were recruited by a certain Cosombia Sarabia of Taytay, Loon, Bohol in Bohol, shouldering their fares and other trip expenses. All victims were promised a job as garment factory workers in an undisclosed place in Metro Manila.

The victims were identified as Jeremias Aleman, 34; Jaime Amolo, 32; Laura Pangan, 24; Marites Marano, 23; Lonica Layao, and Mary Rose Hagunos, both 20 years old and two others who are still minors.

The authorities also ordered the immediate arrest of Sarabia.

All victims were turned over to the custody of Bohol Police and Bohol Crisis Intervention Center (BCIC) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for further investigation and proper disposition.