Four judges from the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court will face administrative complaints from the Department of Justice (DOJ) for releasing foreign nationals, who had been detained after getting caught in a raid on a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) in June due alleged human trafficking.
DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed on Tuesday that at least four judges granted the habeas corpus petitions to more or less 600 foreigners who are being held by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
Remulla ordered the BI to file administrative charges of alleged gross ignorance of the law against the judges before the Supreme Court.
According to him, the judges had approved the petitions without providing a "colatilla"—a justification for releasing foreign nationals unless they were being imprisoned for other reasons.
"In that way, they are ignoring the jurisdiction of the BI and the DOJ with regard to illegal acts of aliens in the country," the Justice Secretary said without naming the judges.
The foreign nationals were among 2,700 people who were rescued during a POGO raid in Las Piñas City on June 27.
They are accused of being trafficked into the country to perform illegal jobs under the presence of being employed by POGO, in violation of their visas.
The POGO has refuted claims that the employees were trafficked and engaged in unlawful activity while on the job.
The Court of Appeals (CA) granted the habeas corpus petitions brought by four Chinese labourers who had been rescued during the operation last month.
It highlighted the fact that the continuing imprisonment of more than 1,000 victims including the four was against anti-trafficking regulations.
Remulla, however, declared that they would not be pressing charges against the CA justices because the petition was approved with a colatilla.
