37 Chinese construction workers in Cotabato City held

COTABATO CITY — The National Bureau of Investigation-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao held for questioning 37 Chinese workers in a big labor force constructing a multi-billion mall building project in Cotabato City.

They were nabbed on Wednesday, November 13, while working at the KCC Mall building project in the center of Cotabato City and are now housed at the regional office of the NBI-BARMM in Cotabato City. 

NBI-BARMM officials and Brig. Gen. Romeo Jaime Macapaz, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, separately told reporters on Thursday, November 14, that the foreign construction workers were invited for a thorough check of their passports and work permits as ordered by Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.

Agents of the NBI-BARMM had told reporters that only 22 of the 37 Chinese construction workers have passports that are now being examined by Bureau of Immigration officials.

A senior NBI agent, Ramil Datusataviran, said they had politely explained to the Chinese construction workers the reasons why they were to be subjected to extensive identity verification.

“Most of them can’t even speak English,” he said.