The seven Koreans are in a huddle, covering their faces during the filing of the charges against them at the Lapu-Lapu Prosecutor’s Office. They were charged with the “Use of Trafficked Persons” on Monday last week. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
WHY were seven Korean nationals charged in Cebu with violating Philippine laws on sex trafficking allowed to leave the country despite a travel restriction issued by the court?
The question hounds government authorities who were caught off guard with the sudden flight of the foreign nationals just a day after posting bail last week.
The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7), the lead agency which took charge of the criminal investigation, sounded the alarm on Monday that the Koreans jumped bail a day after the foreigners were delivered and endorsed by the NBI to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) 7.
But BI-7 special prosecutor lawyer Ronaldo Deray, on Tuesday, explained that he was not informed by NBI of the travel restrictions imposed by the court. Because of this, the BI, he said, did not prevent the accused from traveling back home after their passports were turned over by NBI to the immigration bureau.
Deray’s claim was promptly denied by an NBI source who spoke to CDN on condition of anonymity.
“They were provided a copy of the documents so it is incumbent upon them that they should know,” the source said. Aside from the foreigners’ passports, other documents turned over by NBI to the immigration bureau included the court’s order of release after the Koreans paid bail, the case folders and several attachments.
“In fact, the BI had them photocopied,” the NBI source added.
Deray refused to further comment on the issue but told CDN that he was ready to answer questions in the proper forum if needed.
The Koreans were granted bail on condition that they would inform the court if they wanted to travel outside Cebu.
They were arrested last March 3 by the NBI while in the company of their Filipina sex escorts.
South Korean police attache Lee Yongsang said that the consular office will just relay to the seven Koreans if the court needed their presence here.
Cebu provincial legal officer Orvi Ortega, for his part, said that since the Koreans failed to comply with the bail condition, prosecutors can now move for the cancellation of their bail so that warrants for their arrest could be issued.
Ortega said that once the warrants are issued, Philippine authorities can seek the help of the International Police (Interpol) to have them arrested wherever they may be.
“If there is an extradition treaty between the Philippines and the place where they are arrested, then we can initiate the proper extradition proceedings … and brought back to the folds, the jurisdiction of the Philippines,” Ortega said.
The NBI operation, resulting in the arrest of the Koreans, was conducted in coordination with the Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC) headed by Vice Governor Agnes Magpale.