PNP files complaint vs. 5 Chinese nationals for alleged human trafficking

Five Chinese nationals from the raided compound in Las Piñas have been presented for inquest proceedings at the Department of Justice (DOJ) for violating the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the DOJ charged Li Jiacheng, Xiao Liu, Yan Jiayong, Duan Haozhuan, and LP Hongkun. 

They will also face charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

The number of people rescued from the alleged human trafficking situation in the Las Piñas City compound is around 3,000.

From that number, 1,534 are Filipinos while 1,190 are foreigners.

These include 687 Chinese, 186 Vietnamese, 140 Indonesians, 135 Malaysians, 83 Thais, 18 Taiwanese, 8 Nigerians, 5 Singaporeans, 8 Burmese, 2 Yemenis, 2 Pakistanis, 2 Chad, 1 Ivorian, 1 Tunisian, 1 Arab, and 1 each from India, Somalia, Sudan, Cameroon, and Iran.

“We would like to emphasize that this operation is legitimate and was carried out on orders of a competent Court. The judge issued the warrants after she had personally examined the complainants, and witnesses through a personal searching inquiry,” said PNP Chief Information Officer Brigadier General Redrico Maranan.

All rescued Filipinos were already allowed to go home while authorities are still getting the personal profiles of the remaining 1,284 rescued foreign online workers.

“We would like also to clarify that these rescued victims are being processed to get their personal profiles, travel history, and status for documentation purposes prior to turn over to their respective embassies,” he said.

“As a matter of policy, in every police operation, observance of human rights is paramount. Hence, a Human Rights Affairs desks are put up, manned by human rights affairs officers to ensure that the basic rights of the rescued victims are respected and protected at all times,” Maranan said.

Meanwhile, the PNP said that 299 police operatives from the Anti-Cybercrime Group and National Capital Region Police Office have been deployed to continue the implementation of the Search Warrant at Xinhuang Network Technologies.

On Friday, Christian Vargas, Xinchuang Network Technology's legal counsel, said there is no human trafficking or any illegal activities in the company.

“How can there be human trafficking when they are working legally. And they're very well documented,” said Vargas.

Vargas added the company could not present the required documents because authorities had already locked down their office as early as Tuesday. —Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News