MANILA — Two more Chinese respondents implicated in the raid on a Las Piñas Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in June have been released pending investigation, their lawyer told ABS-CBN News Wednesday.

Lawyer Melvin Bermudez said the 2 Chinese were released on the basis of an earlier order issued by a Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors that converted the inquest proceedings into a preliminary investigation back in July.

An inquest proceeding is conducted in cases where suspects are caught in the act of committing a crime with criminal charges immediately filed in court.

But if there is a need for more evidence, a preliminary investigation is conducted to give complainants a chance to submit additional evidence and the respondents the chance to address the allegations. In the meantime, respondents may be ordered released.

The DOJ release order was dated July 3 but it took more than a month before it could be implemented, with the DOJ and the Bureau of Immigration justifying their continued detention due to “Immigration issues.”

• Remulla: 5 Chinese respondents in Las Piñas POGO raid still being detained

Three other Chinese respondents had to secure a writ of habeas corpus in court in order to be released. A petition for habeas corpus is a remedy against illegal confinement or detention. A writ of habeas corpus issued by a court directs a person detaining another to produce that person in court and show valid reasons for detention.

The 2 released Wednesday are among the 5 Chinese respondents facing complaints for violation of provisions of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Emilio Villanueva, a lawyer of the 5 Chinese respondents, said his clients were not included in the list of foreigners facing cases before the Bureau of Immigration.

The 5 Chinese respondents on Wednesday submitted their counter-affidavits at the Justice department.

The police presented the 2 previously-detained respondents to subscribe to their affidavits before a DOJ prosecutor while the 3 other respondents who had earlier been released took their oaths elsewhere and no longer attended Wednesday’s probe.

Bermudez however said that the preliminary investigation, which seeks to determine if there is basis to file criminal charges in court, is not yet over because the complainant submitted additional complaint-affidavit.

“May additional allegation sila eh, particularly, yung private complainant mismo. May mga dinagdag lang. At least, if I’m not mistaken at least three supplemental complaint affidavit,” he said, although he declined to provide details.

“So alam naman nung piskal na kailangan namin sumagot so binigyan kami ng another setting sa August 30, same time, 11 to submit our supplemental counter,” he added.

While Bermudez welcomed the filing of additional complaints, he said it shows authorities are just in the process of doing their case build-up.

“Pwede nating i-assume na parang ngayon pa lang sila nag ke-case build-up. Pero hindi ko rin masabi. Ayoko namang husgahan yung complainant, yung PNP. Basta kung may mga ibabato sila ay sasagutin namin,” he said.

“Alam naman namin na wala namang ginagawa itong mga taong to, itong mga clients namin. We entertain additional evidence,” he continued.

Bermudez said his clients were not in fact directly accused of committing anything as some just happened to be “visitors” at the Hong Tai compound during the raid.

He added, the Philippine National Police seems to be after a certain “big boss” whom they could not name for now.

More than 2,000 allegedly trafficked foreign and Filipino workers were “rescued” on June 26.

As of Monday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said around 600 foreigners are still in the compound.

He said he intends to complain to the Supreme Court Las Piñas judges who had ordered the release of around 600 POGO workers without providing a colatilla that they can only be released if there are no other lawful cause for their detention.

• DOJ to complain to SC about judges who freed POGO workers

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more News on iWantTFC