Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has directed the (BI) to file charges against judges who ordered the release of some foreign employees of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) firm in Las Pi帽as City that authorities raided in June for alleged human trafficking.
According to Remulla, four courts in the city have granted the habeas corpus petitions filed by the foreign employees, 鈥渨illingly or in gross ignorance of the law.鈥�
鈥淚f there is a foreigner who is being held for violation of immigration law, there must be a colatilla (condition) in granting their habeas corpus petitions 鈥� 鈥檜nless they鈥檙e being held for other lawful purposes,鈥欌�� he told reporters.
A writ of habeas corpus is a judicial remedy that orders anyone, including a government official or agency, who has custody of a person to produce them in court and explain the legal basis for depriving them of liberty.
Remulla said the judges ignored the BI and Department of Justice鈥檚 jurisdiction regarding illegal acts committed by aliens in the country.
鈥淪o we are filing cases against these judges to find out if there is indeed gross ignorance of the law in granting the habeas corpus petitions 鈥� Courts should not step into issues where sovereignty of the country is invoked, especially an issue that is important to us at this point,鈥� he added.
Inappropriate behavior
Remulla said they also intend to call the attention of the Supreme Court to the behavior not only of the judges but also of the lawyers of the foreign nationals for 鈥渕aking a mockery of the justice system.鈥�
The Court of Appeals鈥� 10th Division earlier granted the habeas corpus petitions of Ang Chin Keong, Choo Jun Cheng, Choo Wei Jazz, and a certain Edy and ordered their release 鈥渦nless there are other lawful causes warranting their continuing restraint.鈥�
The foreign nationals, who were among the over 2,000 alleged human trafficking victims 鈥渞escued鈥� during the June 27 raid, had claimed they were being held against their will at the Hong Tai compound in Las Pi帽as since the police operation.
Their petitions were apparently among some 600 that had been filed by foreigners in courts in the city, Remulla said. He added that many of these were granted and that these cases involved four judges.