Palace tells cops to probe death of handcuffed Chinese worker with dispatch

August 11, 2019

Malacanang has ordered the police to immediately resolve the case of a handcuffed Chinese national who died after falling from a six-story building in Las Pinas City last Friday.

In a statement on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo expressed alarm over the incident.

"We ask the Philippine National Police, which is seriously looking into the matter, including tracking down the supervisor of the victim who allegedly made the former a prisoner, to treat the case with dispatch," said Panelo.

According to a police report, at around 7:30am, a 27-year old Chinese national, identified as Yang Kang, was found handcuffed and lying unconscious on the concrete pavement along CV Starr Avenue in Pamplona 2.

In a television interview, Las Pinas chief of police Colonel Simnar Gran said that prior to the incident, Yang was reportedly brought to a room and handcuffed by his alleged Chinese supervisor due to his supposed debt.

Meanwhile, the Palace expressed concern over the growing reports of foreign workers who are experiencing coercion, illegal detention, and other violations of law during their stay in the country.

"We need to put a stop to these illegal acts. We will not tolerate any kind of abuse inflicted on any foreigner whether done by their fellow nationals or by our own citizens," Panelo said.

"We urge nationals from other countries, especially the Chinese workers, to report to the authorities any act performed by their employers in violation of any law. No one is exempted from the strict enforcement of our laws of the land," he added.

The Chinese Embassy earlier issued a statement expressing concern over the alleged abuses being experienced by some Chinese workers from their employers in the country. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS