MANILA, Philippines – A team of 15 Quezon City Police Distrct (QCPD) policemen were fired after 6 Chinese citizens who work for a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO)  escaped their custody on June 22.

In a statement to reporters on Wednesday, June 24, the QCPD said the 15 cops belonged to their District Mobile Force Batallion.  They would face a criminal complaint for violation of Article 224 of the Revised Penal Code, otherwise known as evasion through negligence.

They would also face administrative complaints, which may lead to their suspension, even dismissal from the service. The QCPD also revoked their firearms as the probes began.

How did it happen? On December 19, 2019, a total of 342 Chinese POGO workers without working visas were arrested by the Bureau of Immigration in a raid of a Manila-based POGO for operating without a permit.

The Chinese citizens were held in a “temporary detention center” inside Camp Karingal—the main headquarters of the QCPD.

The QCPD found out that they had escaped after it did a head count in the morning of June 22. It was unclear if the suspects escaped earlier. – Rappler.com