Pasig gov’t closes hotel for trafficking, sex work
The Pasig City government has ordered the immediate closure of a hotel owned by a company linked to the wife and son of former House Rep. Mike Defensor after a government raid exposed allegedly illegal activities inside the establishment.
In a closure order dated April 27 and made public on Tuesday, the city government’s Business Permit and Licensing Department (BLPD) said that National Bureau of Investigation agents who raided the Bleu Hotel owned by Zerrin Development Corp. on April 21 discovered “serious illegal activities involving human trafficking and the facilitation of prostitution.”
It added that these acts were in violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, also known as Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, the Revised Penal Code, as well as regulations set by the BLPD for the issuance of the establishment’s operating permits and business registration.
The NBI, in a statement issued the same day, stressed that the closure was not based on speculation or politics but on “serious allegations involving human trafficking and prostitution” that carry grave legal and moral consequences.
“At the same time, in the spirit of due process and fairness, it must be underscored that the case is not yet final. All parties are entitled to the full protection of the law, including the opportunity to answer the charges, present evidence, and undergo proper judicial proceedings before any final determination of liability is made,” it said.
On April 25, the NBI filed charges against Defensor’s wife, Julie, and their son Miguel, over their alleged connection to the hotel.
The bureau said that Julie was listed as the chair of Zerrin Development Corp. while Miguel was the treasurer.
Julie, however, denied this, saying they have “absolutely no connection to the targeted establishment or its operations.”
“Any attempt to link our family to the abhorrent acts allegedly committed there is a deliberate, dangerous and desperate lie,” she said in a statement.”
