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Petition filed vs club raiders

ANGELES CITY — Lawyers of the arrested managers and employees of the three entertainment clubs in Barangay Balibago filed a petition against police officers on Monday.

Pepito Torres Jr. and Angelo Lopez III, lead counsels of the detained employees, filed a habeas corpus petition at the Regional Trial Court in this city.

A habeas corpus petition seeks to question the legality of detention of around 300 persons, including club managers, waiters and waitresses, dancers and some customers.

The petition also commands National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Central Luzon Director Ricardo Diaz and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Angeles City Chief Danilo Mendoza to present the arrested persons.

Representatives from the Department of Justice, Department of Interior and Local Government, NBI, and CIDG raided Club Camelot, Forbidden City, and Dirty Duck clubs in Fields Avenue last September 15.

The raid was conducted after a female dancer engaged in a sexual act with a civilian police asset. The sexual engagement is a violation of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act.

The arrested persons are detained in the police extension training school at Clark Freeport.

On September 16, the City Government ordered the closure of the three night clubs while owners were given 48 hours to explain why their business license should not be revoked.

No case filed?

Flores, who stands as lead counsel for Club Camelot, said no case has been filed against the arrested persons as of this posting.

“Up to now, we have discovered that no case has been filed against them. This is already against their rights against detention,” Flores said.

The 36-hour leeway of the arresting parties to file a case has also lapsed, Flores added.

Lopez said his clients, who are employees of Forbidden City and Dirty Duck, were wondering why they were arrested when the supposed criminal case to be filed against them has nothing to do with their jobs.

“They were waiters, waitresses and cashiers. Hindi namin maintindihan kung bakit sila ang hinuhuli gayong wala namang kinalaman ‘yong trabaho nila sa kaso,” Lopez said.

Lopez also said some employees of Forbidden City and Dirty Duck were compelled by police to say they are minors even if they are not.

“The birth certificates of these people clearly say that they are of legal age. But authorities invoke that they were minors based on their dental records,” Lopez said.

But Police Chief Inspector Mendoza said 40 of the 327 employees arrested from the three night clubs were charged for violation of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act.

He added that the other 268 persons were already released while the 19 under-aged persons were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. (Charlene Cayabyab)

Published in the Sun.Star Pampanga newspaper on September 21, 2010.

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