In Manila, FBI agents accepted prostitutes paid for by local police – report

MANILA, Philippines — FBI agents assigned in Southeast Asian countries, including in the Philippines, engaged in sexual encounters with prostitutes paid for by local law enforcers, a U.S. Department of Justice watchdog revealed.

The report, released on March 27 and cited by the New York Times, details incidents of FBI employees paying for or accepting sexual services during social events with local police in several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines. These activities reportedly occurred between 2009 and 2018.

One specific case involved FBI agents in Manila in 2018, where they allegedly accepted prostitutes paid for by a local law enforcement agency. However, the report did not specify which agency was involved.

Beyond this instance, the New York Times noted similar misconduct by FBI personnel in other Asian countries but did not provide further details about Manila or the Philippines.

Other allegations outlined in the DOJ inspector general’s investigative summary include five FBI employees soliciting sex while deployed overseas. One employee reportedly provided a colleague with “a package containing approximately 100 white pills” to deliver to a foreign law enforcement officer.

In another incident, a karaoke bar outing escalated into questionable behavior when employees were handed room keys or numbered papers tied to hotels, with a supervisor present during the event. At one point, two employees sharing a room engaged in sexual acts with prostitutes.

The report did not specify which Southeast Asian countries were involved in these particular incidents.

Philstar.com has reached out to the Philippine National Police, Department of Justice (DOJ), and U.S. Embassy for comment on the matter but has yet to receive a response.

Prostitution laws in the Philippines

Prostitution is illegal but widespread in the Philippines. Under Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code, women who "habitually indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct" for "money or profit" are penalized as prostitutes.

Additionally, Republic Act 11862 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act) classifies prostitution as a form of trafficking and imposes penalties ranging from six to 12 years of imprisonment.