Online tutorial center decries slow resolution of case
LINGAYEN– More than a month after the owners and employees cried foul over the raid conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) operatives on their online tutorial center, the case remains unresolved.
“Wala pa rin development sa case… hindi namin alam kung bakit antagal maski ‘yong complainants hindi na nagpapakita,” said Erlinda Tandoc, president of Kamehachi Corporation, an online English tutorial center located along Avenida Street, Lingayen.
The CIDG filed the case at the Regional Trial Court in San Carlos City, presided by Judge Renato Pinlac.
Last March 17, the CIDG barged into the three-storey building of Kamehachi Corporation for alleged violation of the expanded anti-trafficking in persons act of 2012, charges that both the owners and the tutors have vehemently denied.
The CIDG, during the raid, arrested owners of the establishment, namely Fakayuki Oyeda, Erlinda Tandoc, Rafael Tandoc, Leonora Ceralde, and Josephine Guieb for further investigation.
The operations of the center remain closed because all its computers were all removed from the center.
Tandoc, in an interview last May 2, expressed dismay over the slow resolution of the case, which led to more losses on the part of the owners and loss of income for the tutors.
“Wala pa ring operations…pinapatay nila ‘yong mga tao dito…buti sana kung may katotohanan ‘yong mga sinasabi nila,” she said.
Tandoc added that the discontinuance of tutorial has upset many of their 800 Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Russian students enrolled online.
She remarked, “Nainsulto din sila, masama rin ang loob nila. Bakit ganito raw ‘yong gobyerno natin.”
“The people misjudged us…lalo ‘yong mga tao dyan sa labas,” cried tutor Anissa Natalie Meridith Pascua, echoing the sentiments of the 100 English-as-Second Language (ESL) tutors who were at the building during the raid who she said were deeply traumatized.
Another tutor Maian Garcia, said, “We are degree holders, ‘yong iba pa nagma-masterals or nagse-second course,” and recalled that during the raid, the CIDG operatives were forcing her to say that she is a minor.
The warrant for the raid was based allegedly on reports from three previous employees claiming that there was cybersex and prostitution operations in the tutorial center.
The hearing has been postponed for the fifth time for various reasons and reset to May 8.–Johanne R. Macob
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
