Authorities conducted a raid on the office of an online lending application company in Makati on Friday prompted by numerous complaints on social media.
The Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) also said more than 250 employees are now being held for questioning.
The complaints against the company included alleged harassment such as sending threatening messages and using intimidation tactics, reports said.
PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said: “From the reports that we received, there was humiliation and threats.”
Casio said the online company allegedly issued threats such as “watch out for the riding in tandem near your house” or “we will tell the barangay about you.”
However, one employee denied the complaints, saying the harassment came from collectors.
Meanwhile, reports said a chaotic scene unfolded outside the office as employees’ relatives stormed the building after vlogger Rendon Labrador streamed the operation on social media.
Police Captain Michelle Sabino, ACG spokesperson, said Labrador was with them for “collaboration on content.”
Labrador also reportedly placed the caption: “You’re caught. Around 300 illegal online lending apps caught in the act!” in his stream.
Sabino said she had no control over how Labrador framed the raid, but said that she told him that the caption was wrong and should be corrected.
“They really have been arrested, but generally, everyone involved is arrested,” Sabino clarified.
Arrests can lead to criminal complaints which are filed with prosecutors, who will then hold inquest proceedings and preliminary investigations to determine which complaints progress to charges in court.
Casio also emphasized that the employees were being held for questioning to determine their involvement in reported harassment and that no formal complaints had been filed yet.
“I’m sorry about the vlogger being there. He has no authority to speak about this. He has a right to speak, but he also has the right not to speak without evidence,” the official said.
He stressed that Labrador “is not part of the investigation.”
The investigation is ongoing and authorities will conduct forensic analysis on the equipment seized, authorities said.