5 Chinese in Las Piñas raid could not be released due to absence of lawyer — PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said the police were unable to release the five Chinese suspects in the Las Piñas raid because their lawyer has yet to appear to pick them up.

At a televised public briefing, PNP public information office chief Police Colonel Redrico Maranan said the PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) acknowledged that there is already an order for their release.

“Kaya lang hindi pa nagpapakita yung lawyer at hindi pa rin po pumupunta sa opisina ng ACG kaya hindi pa mai-release,” he said.

(However, their lawyer has yet to appear and go to the office of the ACG so they cannot be released.)

“So any time puwede na nating mai-release yun basta merong magre-receive lang at ‘yan naman ay part ng process,” he added.

(As long as there would be a person who will receive them, any time we can release them and that is part of the process.)

On Monday, the suspects' lawyer, Atty. Christian Vargas, said five Chinese are still under police custody despite a release order from the Department of Justice.

The five Chinese nationals were identified as Li Jiacheng, alias Li Jiachang, Xiao Liu, alias Xiao Lin, Yan Jiayong, alias Pan Wen Jie, Duan Haozhuan, and LP Hongkun, alias Li Yang.

According to Raffy Tima’s report on “24 Oras,” police released the five from the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame but were transferred to the supposed POGO compound in Las Piñas.

They are reportedly being kept in a room and have been prohibited from using the phone.

‘Lack of evidence’

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said the five Chinese were ordered to be released due to lack of evidence.

Remulla slammed the ACG for supposedly failing to coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ) before conducting the raid.

“Manghuhuli pero walang kaso. Ano, magtatanim ka ng kaso? Hindi puwede sa DOJ. Hindi kami papayag diyan [Arresting people without cases. What, cases will be invented? The DOJ will not agree to that],” Remulla had said.

According to Remulla, many pending cases could not be filed due to lack of evidence.

When asked about the supposed blunders of the PNP-ACG, he said the policemen did not cite specific acts or specific grounds to arrest the said individuals.

But Maranan said the ACG maintained that it followed the process in implementing the operation, pointing out that it was done based on the search warrant issued by the court.

On June 26, authorities implemented a search warrant in a compound in Las Piñas over an alleged human trafficking situation.

The police reported that 1,534 Filipinos and 1,190 foreigners were rescued from the raid.

Four Chinese and three Taiwanese fugitives were also discovered among the rescued workers and turned over to the Bureau of Immigration for deportation. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News