MANILA, Philippines—Operatives of the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group rescued a 16-year-old girl during a raid on a factory in Sucat, Parañaque City, where workers were allegedly being locked up and subjected to forced labor to pay off their debts.
CIDG director Chief Superintendent Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr. said Anti-Transnational Crime Division operatives raided the compound of Ultra Design Manufacturing Co. at 8528 Juanita de Leon St. in San Dionisio, Sucat, on Monday night.
The teenage girl from Davao del Sur, identified only as Arlyn to protect her identity, was rescued during the operation.
Ultra Design, a manufacturing company of hospital equipment and wheelchairs, is owned by 67-year-old businessman Rodolfo Chua Sing and his wife, Amanda. Sing was later arrested by the CIDG-ATCD for violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.
CIDG-ATCD chief Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa said similar charges would be filed against Amanda, Jerry de la Cruz, who was tagged as the recruiter of the victim in Bukidnon province, and Ermilinda Borromeo, owner of the recruitment firm. All three are still being pursued by the CIDG.
Sosa said the rescue operation, made at about 9:30 p.m., stemmed from the complaints lobbed by victims Joey M. Cortez, Russel Limit and three other former employees of the company.
The victims told CIDG investigators that they suffered verbal and physical abuses at the hands of the owners “who locked them up and forced them to work 12 hours a day [to pay off their involuntary] debts” starting in January.
Sosa said debt bondage falls under qualified human trafficking, a non-bailable offense.
Investigation disclosed that the victims, along with several others, were being locked up in one of the workers’ quarters inside the company compound. Cortez and Limit were released only by the owners after they paid off their debts.
Sosa said all victims, including the minor, were recruited from Don Carlos, Bukidnon, by De la Cruz.
The recruiter allegedly promised them jobs in Manila that included free meals and accommodation and made them sign a document showing they would get P3,000 in monthly salaries with no other benefits. –DJ Yap, Philippine Daily Inquirer
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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