Yap's Supreme Court will hear the case of 16 Philippine nationals arrested last week after they landed a tugboat on the island.
Sunset in Colonia, Yap. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The tug was reportedly owned by Filipino company Fahrenheit, from which another Yap bound boat was seized last month in the Philippines on human trafficking charges.
On that boat, 139 Filipino workers were intercepted by the Philippine coast guard.
Fahrenheit employees in the Philippines were also arrested as part of the action.
In a statement last month, Fahrenheit told the Saipan Tribune there was no evidence to support allegations of human trafficking, human smuggling or illegal recruitment.
Meanwhile, the 16 Filipinos in Yap have been charged with immigration violations after they arrived in Yap on Monday last week without a permit.
A hearing has been set for 14 August.
