The Philippine National Police (PNP) has filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) additional complaints against five foreigners who were arrested during a raid at the facility of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Las Pinas City last June 27.
Charged with violations of the Philippines’ immigration laws were Chinese nationals Li Jiacheng, Xiao Liu, Yan Jiayong, Duan Haozhuan and LP Hongkun.
The filing of the new complaints was disclosed by lawyer Melvin Bermudez who went to the DOJ on Wednesday, Aug. 9, to file the counter-affidavits of his five clients on earlier charges of human trafficking and violations of the cybercrime law.
“Unfortunately nagsampa sila ng additional complaint affidavit (they filed an additional complaint affidavit),” Bermudez said.
With the new complaints, Bermudez said the DOJ panel of prosecutors gave the five respondents until Aug. 30 to file their counter-affidavits.
“We welcome them. Sasagutin naman namin lahat yan at alam naman naming walang maling ginagawa itong mga taong ‘to (We will answer all the allegations because we know that these persons did nothing wrong),” he said.
The June 27 raid of a POGO in Las Pinas City resulted in the arrest or rescue of about 2,700 persons, Filipinos and foreigners.
Bermudez said that three of his clients have been released after the Las Pinas City courts granted their petitions for the issuance of writs of habeas corpus – a legal remedy for arbitrary arrest and detention.
Earlier, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla had said he had given instructions to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) “to file the necessary cases against the judges who willingly granted these habeas corpus petitions without any colatilla” (conditions).
On colatilla, Remulla said that those freed on habeas corpus petitions should be released if they are not being detained for other causes.
“They (judges) are ignoring the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Immigration of the Department of Justice with regard to illegal acts of aliens in the country. So, we are filing cases against the judges,” he said.
As of posting, a check with the DOJ showed that cases against the judges have not been filed.