Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 2) — The Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Las Piñas City that was raided last week wants the police to allow the medical treatment for at least 13 foreign workers who were taken into custody during the June 27 operations.
In a letter dated July 1, the Vargas Law Office, which is representing Xinchuang Network Technologies, said that they received reports that the foreign workers were injured during a commotion last June 29 while under police custody.
The demand letter was addressed to National Capital Region Police Office chief PMGen. Edgar Okubo, Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) director PBGen. Sidney Herrera, and PNP Directorate for Intelligence PMGen. Jon Arnaldo.
This refers to the incident that occurred during the wee hours in the morning of 29 June 2023 wherein 13 or so foreign nationals, under your custody and detention inside the compound of Xinchuan Technologies, Inc., were injured during a commotion that ended in serious physical injuries to at least three of them as a result of the severe mauling by your police officers on the ground,” lawyer Ananias Christian Vargas said.He added that they expect immediate action as it could be a matter of life and death.Vargas also said they received reports that one of the detained foreigners is suffering from a gunshot wound which needs to be examined by a physician.We seriously condemn this exhibition of police brutality against these unarmed foreign nationals, and declare that the use of force is not commensurate with the necessity to prevent escape, as you claim in your press statement,” the lawyer said.He also said they condemn the police officers’ continued refusal to allow the entry of an ambulance to transport the seriously injured POGO workers to the nearest treatment facility.
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Vargas believes that the refusal stemmed from “higher authorities” in the PNP.PNP Public Affairs Office chief PBGen. Redrico Maranan vehemently denied the accusations.“As a matter of policy, in every police operation, observance of human rights is paramount. Hence, 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.“Rest assured that the PNP’s aggressive and honest law enforcement operations are at all times conforming with the rule of law,” he added.Maranan also said that more than 1,500 of the 2,700 rescued POGO workers were already released even as foreigners remain in the area as they are still being processed in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration.“We would also like to clarify that these rescued victims are being processed to get their personal profiles, travel history, and status for documentation purposes prior to turning over to their respective embassies,” he added.Maranan said the foreigners are being assisted by their respective embassy officials and that personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are in the area to assist all those rescued.On June 29, the PNP-ACG reported that 13 foreign workers—eight of them needing immediate medical attention—were injured while 48 POGO workers were trying to escapeThe foreigners allegedly climbed a high fence, and the police said this was the reason why they were injured.The PNP said the Las Piñas operations are part of the anti-human trafficking in relation to violation of Cybercrime Prevention Act.It also said that it filed criminal complaints against five Chinese nationals before the Department of Justice in relation to the raid of seven POGO firms in Las Piñas City early this week.
Maranan said these involved human trafficking and violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
He also stressed that the police operation was legitimate and was carried out on orders of a competent court, following allegations of human rights violations against Xinhuang Network Technologies.The raid resulted in the rescue of more than 2,700 workers, around 1,500 of them Filipinos while the rest are foreigners mostly from countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
