CA orders release of 4 Chinese in POGO raid

MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals (CA) has ordered the release of four Chinese workers who were taken into police custody following a raid on a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) in Las Piñas.

In a decision promulgated on July 28 and penned by Associate Justice Rex Pascual, the CA ordered the National Capital Region Police Office and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group to immediately release Ang Chin Keong, Choo Jun Cheng, Choo Wei Jazz and Edy.

The CA granted the habeas corpus petition filed by the workers, ruling they had been “unlawfully detained” by the police.

The four Chinese were among the 2,700 Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese and Malaysians suspected to be victims of human trafficking who were rescued during the raid on June 27.

While the Filipinos were released, the four Chinese alleged that they were kept at the Hong Tai compound since June 27 “against their will, without any running water and food rations.”

The CA said the supposed temporary “protective custody” of the four Chinese does not justify their continued restraint as it was not warranted by any court.

The PNP served search warrants that it said were valid, but kept the four Chinese and over 1,000 other foreigners within the Hong Tai compound to restrict their movement as they are “potential victims of human trafficking.”

However, the CA said the foreigners’ continued detention violated anti-trafficking laws. The operation “has no vestige of legitimacy” and the protective custody had no legal basis, the CA added.

The other foreigners – who have not filed a petition for habeas corpus – remain in custody at the compound pending repatriation and the lack of facilities at the Bureau of Immigration.

The CA said the PNP failed to seek the workers’ consent for protective custody and repatriation considering that the four stated that they “legally entered the Philippines and are holders of valid passports and working or tourist visas.”

The POGO, Xinchuang Network Technology Inc., has denied involvement in human trafficking.

Five Chinese – Li Jiacheng, alias Li Jiachang; Xiao Liu, alias Xiao Lin; Yan Jiayong, alias Pan Wen Jie; Duan Haozhuan and LP Hongkun, alias Li Yang – were charged with human trafficking in connection with the POGO raid before the Department of Justice, which has ordered their release for preliminary investigation.