TAGOLOAN, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – Authorities arrested 69 undocumented Chinese nationals during a raid on a steel manufacturing plant inside the Philippine Veterans Investment Development Corporation (PHIVIDEC) Industrial Estate on Saturday, May 16.
One Filipino worker was also apprehended for allegedly working illegally in the facility, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. confirmed.
The raid was carried out by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP), and other law enforcement agencies at the Phil. Sanjia Steel Corporation plant.
Teodoro said the discovery of the undocumented Chinese workers handling “potentially hazardous materials” has triggered a broader national security investigation.
Authorities reported that the workers were melting imported and locally sourced steel.
Initial findings indicated that the steel being processed was hazardous and potentially substandard, raising concerns about risks to the surrounding community and the safety of structures nationwide.
The plant is reportedly owned by controversial Chinese businessman Tony Yang, previously linked to Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) activities.
Yang, who was arrested in 2024 for alleged involvement in POGO operations, is the brother of Michael Yang, former economic adviser to ex-president Rodrigo Duterte.
National security concerns
Teodoro warned that obstruction of justice charges would be filed against anyone attempting to interfere in the investigation.
He stressed that the facility’s proximity to a Philippine Navy base under construction heightened the seriousness of the case.
The defense chief also questioned PHIVIDEC’s oversight, noting that the estate is a semi-autonomous government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) under DND supervision.
He ordered a review of all registered locators operating inside the estate.
Investigators are now looking into possible labor and safety violations in addition to the workers’ immigration status. The DND and PAOCC said the facility had already been under scrutiny for “serious violations of law” prior to the raid. (Martin Sadongdong)
