MANILA — Seven workers claiming they were illegally arrested by Dasmariñas City police in Cavite have asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allow them to file their complaint directly with its main office.

In a letter to Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida, the workers — carpenters and security personnel of a property — said they were bypassing the Dasmariñas City Prosecutor’s Office due to safety concerns, citing the “status and influence” of the respondent officers.

“The complainants cannot help but to feel the possibility that their life might be in danger due to the status and influence of the respondents in this case,” their letter read.

The workers alleged they were taken to a police station on Dec. 21, 2025 without warrants and charged. They also claimed that security personnel were manhandled in relation to a property ownership dispute.

“To ferret out the truth from the opposing claims of the parties in the controversy by means of a fair and impartial inquiry, we respectfully submit the complaint-affidavits of all the complainants before the Department of Justice instead of submitting it to the Office of the City Prosecutor of Dasmariñas,” the letter added.

A separate complaint has previously been filed before the National Police Commission in connection with the incident.