Foreigner intercepted at NAIA did not escape police custody, PNP clarifies
The Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) has clarified that the foreign national who was rescued in Las Piñas City Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) raid and later ended up intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) did not escape from its custody.
In a letter sent to the Manila Bulletin, the PNP-ACG spokesperson Capt. Michelle Sabino said that Huang Rongcu was allowed to be released under police custody based on the order of a court.
Sabino was reacting to the story published by the Manila Bulletin about the Bureau of Immigration being alarmed by the escape of foreign nationals under police custody.
The story was based on the statement released by the Bureau of Immigration which also cited a similar case involving two Vietnamese. The BI asked the PNP to conduct an investigation.
“I would like to clarify that Huang Rongcu was not an escapee from police custody. Instead, he was released from custody under the issuance of habeas corpus by Judge Phoeve Meer of Las Piñas City,” said Sabino.
“It is important to set the record straight that Huang Rongcu’s release was legally mandated by a court order, and he did not escape police custody,” she added.