17 Chinese nationals accused of running cybersex den want to post bail
ILOILO City – The 17 male Chinese nationals accused of running a cybersex lair in this city want to step out of their detention cell while the trial of their case is ongoing.
Defense lawyer Dominique Elnar has filed a motion asking Judge Victorino Oliveros Maniba, Jr., of the Regional Trial Court Branch 39, to allow the respondents to post bail for their temporary liberty.
The defense’s motion came after the private complainant submitted her affidavit of desistance, which signifies her intention not to pursue the case.
Represented by their lawyer, the accused attended the hearing of their case yesterday, Jan. 17, before Judge Maniba.
They are facing a string of criminal cases in court following their arrest during a raid on the cybersex den located in Lawaan Village, Barangay Balantang, Jaro district last Nov. 4, 2023.
They were charged with qualified trafficking in person, ob scene publication and exhibition through information and communication, and violation of the cybercrime law.
Those found guilty of Republic Act 9208, or the AntiTrafficking in Persons Act of 2003, will be meted a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from P1 million to P2 million, depending upon the court’s discretion.
Under Rule 114 of the Revised Rules of Court, capital punishment punishable by reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment is non-bailable unless t he defense can prove that the prosecution’s evidence is not strong enough to warrant detention while the case is being tried.
The raid came after Judge Maniba issued the search warrant on the place where the respondents were allegedly operating the cybersex den.
Police said the suspects were all of legal age and believed to be facilitators for Filipino and foreign clients of the cybersex operation.
The accused were reportedly operating for about six months before their arrest. The police conducted the monitoring and surveillance of their operations for more than one month.
Authorities recovered 24 computer units, 49 assorted units of cellular phones, two switch hubs TP- link with 24 ports, two routers, one projector, one monitor, one modem, and one bundle and four boxes of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards./