The police Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) failed to follow protocol during a recent human trafficking raid in Las Piñas, leaving prosecutors unable to pursue charges owing to insufficient evidence.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told the reporters that they already talked about the issue and that they will execute a case buildup first, so that when they conduct raids and make arrests, we have enough evidence to charge the suspects.
The Department of Justice announced that five Chinese suspects apprehended during an ACG raid on a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) facility in Las Piñas had been released pending further investigation.
Over 2,700 suspected human trafficking victims were rescued from the POGO facility last month. The majority of them were immigrants.
Over 1,000 alleged human trafficking victims, he said, remain at the POGO facility.
According to Remulla, the Filipino victims and foreigners without visas were deported.
Before they can be deported, foreigners holding visas must go through visa cancellation procedures.
Meanwhile, Tulfo questioned the lack of coordination in resolving POGO issues among law enforcement, immigration authorities, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), and labor organizations.
According to the senator's sources, just one of the seven rooms raided had authentic POGO documents, while the other six were illegal, and the police could not force them to leave.
He also stated that the storming teams seized an unspecified quantity of cash and multiple firearms on the compound's premises.
Computers and cellphones were also taken for forensic analysis.
Tulfo stated that the investigation by the police has been ongoing for 13 days, but the criminal liability of the people behind Xinchuang Network Technology Inc. or Hong Tai who are participating in illegal actions remains unknown.
He emphasized the need for assessing Pagcor's performance in implementing its regulatory role, maintaining proper collaboration with other authorities, and preserving the rights and welfare of POGO workers in filing the resolution.
