60 Japanese Nationals Nabbed for Working in Cebu Call Center Post Bail

The 60 Japanese nationals who were arrested Friday for working without permits in a call center in Cebu City have posted bail for their temporary liberty.

Cebu City Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 3 Judge Yvonne Artiaga approved their petition for bail.

She set the bail at PHP1,000 each.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 Assistant Director Augusto Eric Isidoro said the lawyers of the call center employees filed a petition for temporary liberty.

“They have the right to post bail. It is allowed in the rules of court,” he said.

NBI agents arrested the Japanese nationals who work for the Japan Intertrade Call Center Corp. (JICC) in Cebu IT Park in Barangay Apas, Cebu City on Friday.

The agents were authorized by the search warrant issued by Cebu City MTCC Executive Judge Monalila Tecson.

The NBI said they don’t have alien employment permits (AEP) from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

But a lawyer for JICC said they do not need to secure the AEP because the Japanese nationals are only on-the-job trainees. (PNA) LAP/EB/EDS