Las Piñas firm in raid denies human trafficking

There are no human trafficking or any illegal activities taking place in a Las Piñas company raided by authorities on Tuesday, the lawyer of the firm said.

“How can there be human trafficking when they are working legally. And they're very well documented,” Christian Vargas, legal counsel of Xinchuang Network Technology, told reporters.

“We deny that. Hindi totoo ‘yan (That is not true),” he added when asked if the company was involved in investment scam, love scam, and cryptocurrency scam.

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

Vargas said the business of the company is legitimate.

He added the company was not able to present the required documents because authorities already locked down their office as early as Tuesday.

Vargas said the company and their “legitimate employees” are considering countersuing the officers who conducted the raid.

According to him, the workers should have been released because authorities have failed to charge them after more than 72 hours from the date of the operation.

“That’s arbitrary detention already,” he said.

“The company as well as the legitimate workers that we are representing are thinking of filing cases against the officers in charge who implemented the search warrant or the raid,” he added.

Vargas said the Filipino employees who were earlier released were asked to execute an affidavit saying that they were rescued by authorities in exchange for their freedom.

“Ang kapalit noon para sa kalayaan nila is mag-execute sila ng sinumpaang salaysay o affidavit na sinasabi na ni-rescue sila and this was done without assistance of their counsel of choice,” he said.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Philippine National Police’s public information office chief Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan and spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo about the matter but they have yet to respond as of posting time.—LDF, GMA Integrated News