Forty-one foreign nationals arrested during a raid on a Bataan-based business process outsourcing (BPO) firm have been released under the guarantorship of Bataan 2nd District Representative Albert Garcia and Central One Bataan spokesperson Cherry Anne Dela Cruz.
According to a report by Jun Veneracion on 24 Oras, both Garcia and Dela Cruz vouched for the detainees’ release without bail, taking personal responsibility for their conduct while in custody. “It’s more difficult than just paying cash bail because when you release them under recognizance, you are taking responsibility for them,” Dela Cruz said, emphasizing the thorough vetting to ensure the foreigners’ records were clean.
While the Freeport Area of Bataan praised Central One for its significant economic contributions, employing over 1,500 predominantly Filipino workers, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) raised concerns about alleged illegal activities linked to the firm. PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz claimed some foreign employees had criminal records involving scams, trafficking, and drug offenses, suggesting lapses in the company’s hiring practices.