Authorities discovered more than P112 million in cash following the opening of several vaults of the Central One Bataan, the business process outsourcing company (BPO) which was raided on Oct. 31.
Police Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the opening of the 12 safety vaults was covered by a new search warrant that was issued against the establishment as a follow-up to the Oct. 31 operation led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) over reports of alleged involvement in human trafficking.
Aside from millions of pesos, authorities also discovered cash in dollars and other foreign currencies.
The legal counsel of the Central One Bataan said that the cash is being used as salary for more than 1,600 employees and other business operations but Fajardo expressed doubts on the statement.
“The PAOCC, the PNP and other agencies involved in this operation do not believe that this huge sum of cash money is for the salary. All salaries are now via ATMs so how come they have this huge sum of money in possession,” said Fajardo.
The facility located in Bagac town was raided over reports of involvement in human trafficking.
Aside from cash, authorities also seized foreign passports, security tokens, vouchers and assorted documents from the BPO company’s offices.
“This would somehow prove that these foreign passports are being withheld by the operators of Central One,” said Fajardo.
“If I were a legitimate worker there, I would have in my possession the passport because these are individual passports. How come a company withholds these passports? That will be subject to investigation,” she added.
The cash and other documents are now under the custody of the PNP.
Meanwhile, the relief order against Metro Manila police chief Maj. Gen. Sidney Hernia and PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group director Maj. Gen. Ronnie Cariaga was extended to five days.
Then two officials were earlier relieved from their posts to give way to the ongoing investigation on the alleged questionable actions of the police during raids in some suspected Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) facility in Manila.
“The only reason why they were relieved is again, being the highest commanders of the units involved, particularly PNP-ACG and NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office). The PNP leadership limit-wise to put them under administrative relief,” said Fajardo.
The investigation of the PNP leadership deem it necessary to extend their administrative relief until Friday,” she added.
The 10-day relief order was supposed to have ended on Nov. 17.