Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople said that the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh is working closely with Cambodian officials and with private lawyers to ensure the release of a Filipino who was arrested and detained for allegedly being part of a phone scam operation.

“The Filipino is among the twenty (20) foreign nationals who were detained by the Military Police of Phnom Penh for alleged involvement in a phone scam,” the Secretary said. “I have instructed our Embassy in Phnom Penh to look after her interests and provide her with every assistance. Our Embassy has been on top of this case and I understand that the charges against this Filipino national have been withdrawn,” the Secretary added.

After their arrest on 14 July 2003, Philippine Embassy officials coordinated the case of the Filipino with Cambodian officials and the lawyers of 14 of the accused.  The 14 are British nationals and the British Embassy provided them with a Cambodian lawyer.  In situations such as this one, it is sometimes in the best interest of all the accused to work through a primary lawyer.  The Cambodian lawyer succeeded in convincing the Cambodian court that there is no evidence linking the 20 accused with the alleged phone scam operations.

However, the accused were transferred to Sydney Hotel for further questioning.  Philippine Embassy officials are working to ensure the early release of the Filipino.  Among the detainees are 14 British nationals, two Americans, one New Zealander, one Thai citizen and the lone Filipino.

The Department is withholding the identity of the detained Filipino to protect her privacy. END.