The hearings of Mike Arroyo’s libel suits against Malaya columnist Lito Banayo are bordering on the absurd. We can’t help but laugh.
But we laugh nervously because the absurdity stems from Mike Arroyo’s power tripping. And we know how dangerous power trippers are specially if they have at their disposal the armed forces and the police.
In the hearing last Aug. 8, Arroyo’s imposing presence was felt heavily not only at the RTC Manila sala of Judge Concepcion Alarcon-Vergara but also in the surrounding vicinity.
Banayo said no less than the WPD chief, Pedro E. Bulaong, was in the immediate area with six uniformed police officers, two or three of them with the rank of colonel.
Arroyo came with his usual coterie of PSG (Presidential Security Group) escorts, who barred members of media from covering the pre-trial of the libel case. Even Banayo himself, who came late, was barred by a PSG agent from entering the room. Only after the intervention by a higher official was Banayo allowed inside.
Banayo’s libel cases stemmed from his column “So I See” in the Daily Tribune dated July 21, 25 and 28 and August 11, 13, and 15. In one of those articles, he talked about “El esposo gordo.” No names were mentioned but apparently Arroyo felt alluded to because he went to court.
By the time the cases were filed, Banayo was already writing for Malaya. He said subpoenas sent to the offices of The Daily Tribune failed to reach him. He said from September 2004 to March 2006,he was not made aware of any action by the City Prosecutor’s Office on the libel complaint filed against him.
Sometime in 2005, an earlier libel case filed by Arroyo against Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla and Banayo, which the fiscal brought to Judge Placido Marquez of Manila was dismissed for lack of probable cause.
But it looked like Arroyo was not through with Banayo, who is the political strategist and media adviser of Lacson. Arroyo filed six new libel cases against Banayo in June 2005. He was arraigned on July 3, where he pleaded “not guilty”, and pre-trial was set for August 7, 2006.
This is Banayo’s narration of what happened on Aug. 7:
“On the morning of Monday, August 7, 2006, the premises of the City Hall of Manila swarmed with uniformed police and Presidential Security Guards along with bomb-sniffing dogs. No less than Gen. Bulaong was in the immediate area of Branch 49 at the 5th floor, along with some six uniformed police officers, two or three of them with the rank of colonel. The PSG and/or the police effectively barred media (who were attracted by the unusual display of force) from entering the sala of the judge.
“Without any written pre-trial order signed by both parties, the presiding judge ordered the presentation of the first prosecution witness on the same day, thereby violating Sections 2 and 4 of Rule 118 of the Rules on Criminal Procedure.
“The judge arbitrarily, capriciously and despotically ordered the case to proceed to trial moments after she terminated the pre-trial conference. During the testimony of the First Gentleman, Atty. Arroyo, she repeatedly denied motions of the lawyer for the defense in a manner so high-handed, punctuated with unabated and unnecessary shouting.
“After the one-hour direct examination of the private complainant, the judge wanted to force the defense counsel to cross-examine the private complainant immediately, without the benefit of time to confer with the stenographic notes of the lengthy testimony.
“Thereafter, she directed continuation of the trial the following day, Tuesday, August 8, at 2:00 p.m. She directed the court stenographer to give the transcript to the affected parties the same afternoon.
“By 1:15 p.m. of Tuesday, August 8, the stenographer had completed transcribing only 62 pages of the notes, a little more than half of the testimony of the previous day.”
Finding the actions inside the courtroom the day before as being “an utter display of partiality and high-handedness,” Banayo and his counsel, Atty. Johnmuel Romano Mendoza, filed a motion to inhibit the presiding judge.
Not surprisingly Judge Alarcon-Vergara promptly started the hearing at 2:00 p.m., and immediately denied the Motion to Inhibit.
Banayo said: “In tones livid with anger, she peremptorily disputed the charge of partiality and directed the defense counsel to cross-examine Atty. Arroyo.”
Mendoza refused and begged leave of court. Banayo, however, was directed by the judge to remain. Whereupon, she appointed a counsel de oficio.
Continuation of Banayo’s narration: “Inside the court was Atty. Humberto Basco, a lawyer who accompanied his friend Rogelio de la Paz, a friend of Banayo who went there to lend moral support. Both were former councilors of Manila who were able to enter the court only because they arrived at the same time that the First Gentleman and his party, which again included Gen. Bulaong and assorted police and PSG’s.
“Judge Vergara immediately appointed the unwitting and unwilling Basco to be de oficio lawyer. ”
Banayo said he found what was happening surreal and declared that he does not agree to be represented by a lawyer who had virtually no knowledge of the case. But Alarcon-Vergara persisted.
Banayo related that, “At one point, no less than the First Gentleman needled Basco to accept the appointment as counsel de oficio, saying “Magaling ka namang abogado, e.”
When Banayo asked for a postponement of the trial so he could be properly represented, the judge again denied the motion, and forced Basco to proceed with cross-examining the second witness, the First Gentleman’s private prosecutor, Atty. Ruy Rondain.
Several times, Arroyo’s lawyer reminded the judge that his client “was a busy man” which was duly noted because she insisted that she wanted to finish the case with dispatch.
Banayo asks: “Dispatch for whom? How about the rights of the accused to a fair trial and proper representation by counsel of his choice? What was so urgent about a complaint for libel against a member of media, that short-cuts have to be forcibly undertaken, in violation of the legal rights of the accused, simply because the accuser is probably the most powerful man in the country, being the husband of a president?”
My first question is Libel and Slander under the Criminal Code or Civil (tort)? I am wondering because there are prosecutors involved. Libel in most other jurisdictions, is a civil case between the plaintiff and the defendant. That means the case is between the injured party and the one inflicting the injury and the suit is for monetary relief. I admit I still have to really understand the Philippines law, but it so complicated that I may have to go to one of the “ best” law school in the country. Anyway, the security around the first gentleman is what we call an extra- judicial persuasion (intimidation) that might even slant the judge decision toward the plaintiff. I can only say that not only election can be bought, even justice is available for the highest bidder.
Lito Banayo is only among the many journalists being harassed by the Arroyos. He’s lucky he’s not being hurt or killed like the many other journalists. With this Atty. Jesus Santos as Mike Arroyo’s lawyer, you can expect such harassment and baseless lawsuits. Look at the Pelaez mother and daughter who even came to the Philippines to sue Erap. Their trip and hotel were all reportedly paid by Chavit Singson. What happened to them? They are nowhere to be found after Erap filed libel against them.
and you wonder why the standard reply of their apologists on the internet is this :
” If you have anything against the First Gentleman , why don’t you file these complaints in Philippine court ? “
ABUSERS!!!! To hell with that fat man! Nakakahiya ang mga men in uniform natin, Garapalan na ang pagpapagamit sa mga demonyo ng malacanang!! Matatapos din ang lahat ng kanilang kapalaluan, kawalanghiyaan, at kademonyohan. Isusuka nila ang lahat ng kanilang nagawang kasalanan sa tao at sa Diyos!!
To Mr. Banayo, don’t worry, truth is on your side and it will set you free………SOONER!!! Will pray for your safety, ingat ka lagi.
Scary! If Mike Arroyo can do this to a high-profile mediaman, he can do that too to anybody! He’s scaring others to cross him.
16 August 2006
It just show, how much the arrovo’s abuse of power, imagine a court proceedings can now be railroaded by the arrovos just like the impeachment case. Talaga naman, as the saying goes “birds of the same feathers flock together”. What will happen to us now??? We are really in a de facto state of martial law, where everybody and everything is controlled by the military and gloria being controlled by the military as well.
jinx
If Lito Banayo’s narration was what actually happened, then the judge’s behavior must have been influenced by any of the following:
1. She wants to please Mike Arroyo hoping for future favors that might come her way; or
2. She’s under duress, meaning, she’s afraid of what Mike Arroyo could probably do to her the moment she exercises “the cold neutrality of an impartial judge” in her conduct of the libel proceedings; or
3. She was blinded by the color of money. You know what I mean.
What I cannot understand is why the overstaying tenants of the palace by the murky river should be allowed to appoint judges of the court. Isn’t that some conflict of interest as it is self-seving.
And how come the husband is being allowed to do as he likes, and not be prosecuted for abusing the power that is not even vested on him, for in most progressive states, the spouses are nothing but decorations with no political power or authority vested on them.
So, why is the Fat Guy being given a troop of policemen and army generals to guard him even when he is the one likely to inflict sufferings and abuses to the less privileged especially in this regime?
Why does he not pay for his own security guards and not use the policemen paid with taxpayers’ money to guard him, even use to abuse those who would dare question the extraordinary powers vested now on him by his wife, and perhaps, the generals who actually now run the show?
Nawiwili ang tabatsoy na ito who has been threatening people critical of him and his evil ways and other extra-curricular activities with libel suits just because he has managed to have majority of the seats at the Supreme Court for instance filled up by his friends, including even the position of the Ombudsman that should have been occupied by a non-partisan, apolitical individual.
I find this system in fact unbelievable although it is possible in countries like Uganda or Sudan or some backward countries and trouble spots in the world today.
Kawawang bansa! Ipaglaban ang karapatang maging malayang batikosin ang mga kurakot sa pamahalaan!
BTW, who pays for the lawsuits filed by the Fat Guy especially when his lawsuits will most likely backfire on him, for as they say, baka madulas at bumaligtad siya! Labas lahat ang ngalangala niya!
In a Japanese restaurant in Makati, there were 2 lawyers– Jess Santos and Manoling Poblador–having lunch. They were both speaking, and laughing so loud, that many could hear what they were talking about. Too early for sake; but not for an alcoholic, though. Their topic? Mike Arroyo.
I guess “El Esposo Gordo” is indeed just that. A joke.
…and for that IDIOTA RTC Manila Judge Concepcion Alarcon-Vergara, she probably has a crush on “El Esposo Gordo.” STUPIDA!
What a mess this Pidal couple are creating in the Philippines. It is not even democracy that they have there, it seems. It’s called Pidalcracy—a government for, of and by the kleptomaniacs, and other maniacs!!! 😛
Tamaan sana ng kidlat! My condolence to Lito Banayo for the in-JUST-TIIS he is being subjected to. Kung ako sa kaniya, I’ll write to the Chinese Premier and ask for protection as Chinese descendant!
On the other hand, may lahi ding intsik si Pidal. Pero mukhang mas maraming Chinese blood si Banayo. At least, isang consolation. Buhay pa siya, at saka siya ang binabanatan kasi may pera siya.
May isa pang tsinoy ang delikado. Si Mentong Laurel. May libel suit din siya. That made me wonder in fact if this Fat Guy’s intention is not really to clear up his dirty name but attempt to make money out of his libel suits pretending to be concerned about his dirty name especially when he’s sure to win by making sure his friends in the court, who owe him for their appointments, make sure his cases are assigned to judges who would side with him out of favor and/or fear!
Sorry for the expletive, but can’t help saying, “Tangna anong palagay niya, sila ang may-ari ng Pilipinas!” that he can make everybody sing to his tune! Tangna talaga!
Ellen from your own account of what happened in the libel proceedings at the sala of Judge Alarcon-Vergara, it looks to me that there were several violations of the Rules of Criminal procedure as well as the non-observance by the judge of the constitutional right of the accused. All of the acts enumerated can be restrained and corrected via “certiorari” to the superior court because abuse of discretion on the part of the judge are too obvious to ignore. I don’t know what was the next legal move of Mr. Banayo and his lawyer. Mr. Banayo should exhaust all possible remedy under the law to protect his rights by restraining the judge to proceed further by getting the appropriate writ from the higher court.
Actually, the game in Philippine politics is a never ending cycle of vengeance. Abuse of power is always a given among people who have it. It is always present among power holders. When rich politicians and influential people fight and try to demolish one another, I could not care too much, although the over-all effect of it is that those in charge of running the government sometimes have to spend all the time fighting their perceived enemies. So the much important thing of governance is set aside. The undesirable consequence is the country’s economy lags behind.
We’ve mentioned these violations in this and other blogs, but the Philippines has apparently become literally one of those banana republics, where justice as defined in a democracy is already extinct, as it is in the Philippines especially under this present-day Pidalcracy.
The trial of Joseph Estrada is an example. Regardless of the non-existent of valid proofs except the words of a well-known perjurer, who has been declared by the more superior court of the USA as being imcompentent and a criminal, Estrada is kept in jail and not allowed his civil rights, even his supposed immunities as the duly elected president of the Philippines with his tenure of office cut short by a sedition and even treason.
Now, it is up to the still living members of the bar associations of the Philippines to right these wrongs in the Philippine justice system.
BTW, Filipinos should watch the movie, Amin: the Rise and Fall. There are also lots of parallels between Uganda under Amin and the Philippines under Pandak. The only difference maybe is that Amin ate literally the brains of his victims, while the Pandak figuratively does the same.
Ugh! 😡
Hopefully, the Pidals will have their days likewise in a Philippine court. As they say, “Crime does not pay.” May araw din ang mga abusadong iyan.
If a Senator like Jinggoy was almost arrested by Malacanang goons, what more a journalist like Banayo?
Senate president slams attempt to arrest Estrada
By Veronica Uy
INQ7.net
(UPDATE) SENATE President Manuel Villar on Wednesday slammed an attempt by policemen to serve a warrant of arrest on opposition Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on the libel case filed by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.
“We condemn it,” Villar said. “Ang lakas ng loob nila (How dare they do it).”
He said the arrest attempt appeared to be part of a pattern to belittle the Senate.
Villar said eight Pasay City policemen went to the Senate security office and told personnel there they were out to serve the warrant issued by Judge Wilhelmina Jorge-Wagan.
Informed of this, the Senate president said he immediately met the policemen and prevailed on them not to continue with their attempt.
Estrada took to the podium to deliver a privileged speech denouncing Malacañang and Arroyo for the attempt to arrest him.
Proof of this, he said, was when the policemen were informed about Article 6, Section 11 of the Constitution, which provides that no lawmaker may be arrested for offenses that carry penalties of less than six years while Congress is in session.
In response, he said, the policemen asked Villar and the Senate sergeant-at-arms: “Paano po kung tawagin kami ng Malacanang? Ano’ng sasabihin namin (What happens is Malacañang calls us? What should we tell them)?”
“Clearly, they cannot arrest a senator while Congress is in session. Why then did elements of the Pasay City police come here to arrest me? Have they no respect for this venerable chamber and the Constitution?” Estrada asked.
He said the libel case stemmed from his interpellation during a budget hearing on January 23 in which he called the First Gentleman “the biggest smuggler in this country.”
While recalling the circumstances behind the charges, he again called Arroyo the “bagman” of his wife, the President, and vowed that the charges would not stop him from performing his duty and “continu(ing) with the crusade (against) the Godfather of all Smugglers in the Philippines.”
The Senate’s legal luminaries also gave Estrada advice on what course to take.
Senator Joker Arroyo advised him against rushing to the court to post bail. The former human rights lawyer said doing so would put him under the jurisdiction of the court, which could then arraign and try him.
Arroyo said all parties involved in today’s incident have fulfilled their duties: the judge who issued the warrant, the police who tried to serve it and the Senate officers who told the police the warrant could not be served.
He said the policemen could return to the court and report what happened.
But Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, a former regional trial court, worried the policemen might return to try and arrest Estrada again.
She advised him to post “under protest” the 10,000-peso bail bond indicated in the warrant to give him “peace of mind.”
“Posting a bond does not constitute a waiver of immunity to arrest,” Santiago said.
To which Arroyo jokingly advised him to risk arrest and spend some time in jail.
“You’ve been in jail for two years, what’s two days? Go and go on a diet,” Arroyo said.
Estrada said he decided to go along with the advice of Senators Arroyo, Santiago, Franklin Drilon, Alfredo Lim, and Francis Pangilinan not to post bail and insist on his constitutional right as a member of Congress against arrest while Congress is in session.
GRABE talaga, ano?
El esposo grabe!
La esposa devillana!
talagang bastusan na……..
wala na bang katapusan ang pag-aabuso ng mag-asawang pidal sa mga pilipino? at hanggang kailan ba pagagago ang karamihan sa mga pilipino sa atin? kailan pa kikilos? o talaga bang magtitiis na lang?
naguguluhan na ako sa mga kababuyan ng mag-asawang bwisit sa mga mahihirap!!!
taipan, columnist Billy Esposo might not like what you wrote: El Esposo grabe…
It’s squid or diversionary tactics executed by Malacanang bastards to divert public attention on Moro-Moro impeachment complaint. The timing is perfect. They cannot arrest legislators while in session. Stupid Pasay city judge acted like a robot upon the order of Jose Pidal. Kuwarta o Kahon? Dapat ikahon silang buhay at ibaon sa lupa.
Banayo, Jinggoy…who else? Congressman’s Agarao’s house attacked…what else? What about Chavit Singson accused of masterminding the murder of one wealthy Pasig businessman? His libelous acts against Erap coming out with a fake recorded tape? The Tulfo brothers who even held a press conference to attack Gloria and Mike on their wedding anniversary?
So it seems the Big Mike is on a rampage now. It seems he and the wife feel they are now in control of practically all the insitutions of this country. Living and acting like royale tyrants. But no one reigns forever. But he struggle must continue. Soon they will trip and stumble and fall. And fall hard. That day will be a day to watch. And I dread to see that day. It won’t be nice.
…i am not a devoted practitioner of my religion but we need prayers of hope for the likes of Mr. Banayo and others who are directly being targeted by the “Circus in the Palace Gang (CIPG)”….
about the Amin movie..if there will be a brave producer who can make a sequel to that – other countries counterparts who are gahaman presidents…bruha’s title should be INDI-AAMIN – HER GOONS, GUNS, GANG, GREED…(take note there’s no H in HINDI cz shes kapampangan…)…please no offence to the genral pampangos…dis blunder is for the bitch that we all want to eradicate in the face of this earth!!!
Mr. Banayo should seek also and make his case notice by the Amnesty International..just a thought…so that the whole world can see what a big, f**king joke our judicial system has (those leaning for the powerful and moneyed)…its time that the whole world see in full color and not just black and white of how these bogus administration is kapit-tuko to power, money and the country that they want to rape so much…if there is someone out there who can enumerate all the heinous crimes that they have done from the very start, that would be good and well…and we can all post and send around the world to the diff blogsites.
i really dont know if that works here, i mean asking some protection frm the chinese premier…i mean, lahat na halos na pwedeng “bilhin at saksakan ng pera sa baga” ng angkan ng kademonyohan na ito ay minadali at ginawa na nila…why the immediate awarding of the Northrail to the chinese developers/financiers, why the defensive tactics-to-death of the bogus admin henchmen to spoonfeed the permit for the continuation of the lafayette mining operation, why the leniency and even reverse orders for the culprits of pre-need plan companies (i hope the tempo TRO re PPIs latest news if for real and not jst a ploy!)…why oh why for so many things…which of course we all knwo what the answers are. these sons-of-b-*%$E# dont give a shit about their ancestors kc maramihan sa kanila magnanakaw talaga as i read frm here…maraming pinoy dito na nasa alta-sociedad (daw) ay deny na may chinese blood sila kahit na halos walang mata!lagi nilang pinag-didildilan na kastila or kano or kahit anong puting lahi…i am 50% chinese and although i dont even look 10% chinese, my heart is torn betwn these 2 cultures of which i respect both no matter what the +/- maybe…the Tuasons daw are chinese…TUA means big in(hookien dialect) and SON could mean Apo or grandchild. This word is mostly assosciated with the Eldest grandson bec the conservative chinese puts so much ga-ga over eldest son or grandson.This Tuasons are the most shitty of all!!!!
Soleil, may dugong Intsik ka pala. Di Ho (how are you in Fukien)…Ni haw (mandarin). Yes, galing sa Chinese name ang Tuazon. Tua is big pero dapat Tuati (malaking baboy).
Di niyo ba alam na Tsinoy din si Lito Banayo…at si Herman Tiu Laurel? Di lang marunong magsalita ng Intsik si Lito.
May nagtanong kung saan ba galing ang mga Japayuki. Aba, mula sa lahat ng dako ng Pilipinas. Ang mga sikat galing mula sa Ilocos noong 1960s.
Oo bastusan na ang ginagawa ni dambuhalang Mike. Akala niya kasi masisindak niya si Jinggoy. Etong si Sabit Singson hanggang ngayon di magalaw sa kabila ng sangkot sa napakaraming krimen noon at ngayon.
Ang mga Tulfo naman lalo na si Mon, kilala ang mga iyan sa kalokohan. Bakit biglang tumahimik ngayon? May hiningi lang siguro na hindi agad naibigay. Di ba ganyan din si Singson? Nag-iingay kung may kailangan? Magbabanta pa! Ganyan din si Ramos. Tira muna kunwari tapos biglang tahimik.
Correction please, there were no Japayuki in Japan in the 60’s. The first recorded Japayuki came in the mid-70’s and they were mostly Visayans and Bicolanos recruited along Mabini and Pasay.
I should know. I have worked for and with the police and immigration as civilian interpreter since then, and no matter how these women would deny they were from the Visayas especially when they carry passports issued under the names of natives of Luzon, they could not hide the fact that they were Visayans or Bicolanos just like Kapampangans are easy to spot because they cannot omit or add h when they should not! The accents cannot deny their places of origin.
The term Japayuki in fact in reference ONLY to Filipino women plying their wares in Japan was coined in the early 80’s and used by anti-Marcos organizations against the Marcos dictatorship, which actually had nothing to do with the recruitment of these Japayukis, who were given a more legalized status in 1986 when Cory Aquino inked an agreement with the Japanese government to allow these pseudo entertainers a special quota of 40,000 Japayukis a year as Japan’s contribution to Philippine economic recovery.
However, when the Japanese government found out that a lot many of these women were far from being real entertainers—meaning, dancers and singers not bar and club hostesses—the Philippine government was asked to phase it out in the mid 90’s when a great number of these women were caught for vagrancy and illegal use and possession of prohibited drugs. Estrada responded favorably on this with the decrease of the number of Japayukis sent to Japan during his short tenure.
Unfortunately, Estrada was replaced by a pimp who suddenly doubled or tripled the number of Japayukis permitted to work in Japan under the special quota set in 1986 that alarmed the Japanese authorities who then made an excuse of US request to stop human trafficking to Japan with these Japayukis in Tokyo in fact being replaced with Americans and Latinas to revise the Immigration Law of Japan banning the employment of these Japayukis and stop their government from deploying and pimping them to Japan.
I know this to be true because I have interpreted on many occasions for the police and immigration in solving cases involving these Filipinos (as there were/are biniboys working as Japayukis) and Filipinas, and I am a member of Japanese organizations lobbying against the deployment of these boys and girls to Japan. They are in fact teen-agers who should be in school, not work in bars and clubs overseas! I have actually a file cabinet full of these proofs of how these Filipino children are pimped in Japan.
In short, tarantado talaga ang mga bugaw na ito unang-una na iyong Pandak at itong si Egcel Lagayman, pati na si Pat Sto. Tomas who was the Labor secretary when these pimpings were done!!! 😡
yes Artsee…”guo hao”(am nt sure of the pinyin as am old school prefering guo-yin)..my dad came frm fujian, my mom is 1/4 spanish pinoy, my husband s 1/4 japanese,3/4 chinese..thankgoodness so far my kids knw where to put themselves…and i will be sending my doter next yr to xiamen university…but i’d rather be called tsinoy…anyway,tuati should be roasted in hell 100X and they can have a feast of his ass. Bruha pandak on the other hand should be fed shredded and fed to the sharks as it is not enough to pay for the pimping and cheating that she has done for this country….
sadly, we fence sitters (s’posed to be), here can cry to our hearts content for whatever we want to curse this BS administration, we can forever curse the likes of bunyeta, eghead lagayman, palpakran, gonggongzales(es),mighty myak, tongrales, jo-dementia, et al…and nobody can stop us!!!this is the only “civil” way for now that we can expose this bogus administration to the world…hoping that this blog goes around the world 24/7…this is to show that even if we cannot go out to the streets (yet) for now and raise high heaven n hell to oust the SuperGarapata, we are very aware of the worst than military rule of this sickening administration!!!!
BTW, Japayuki was a word applied only to Filipinos deployed to Japan to work in bars, clubs as hostesses cum prostitutes. It was a word coined from the word “karayuki” that was applied to Japanese girls/women sent overseas to cater mostly to overseas Japanese as those living in Manchuria, Malaya and even the Philippines prior to World War II when Japan under a military rule experienced extreme poverty that a lot many Japanese crossed oceans to try to luck in foreign lands.
In the case of the Japayuki, they do not mainly cater to their fellow Filipinos overseas but to sex perverts in Japan. For this reason, I cannot understand why the Pandak would be elated about deploying them to Japan then and now to Korea and even China unless of course she is natural-born pimp! 😡
Worse is when the Philippine government would connive with recruiters in issuing fake passports to these Japayukis and their ages raised to avoid being criminally held responsible for forcing these kids to work in establishments they are not allowed to get employed in violation of the Japanese Child Welfare Law.
They may not care for the welfare of Filipino children but authorities here sure do care. It is against the law over here to employ children below 20 in establishments where they serve alcoholic drinks and forced to do lewd acts, and definitely no working after 10 or 11 pm! In the Philippines, you see a lot of kids loitering around even after midnight, etc.