Razed Japanese firm probed over ‘endo’

MANILA, Philippines - The Japanese company House Technology Industries (HTI), whose three employees were killed in a fire that hit its factory at the Cavite Export Processing Zone in Rosario town, is being investigated for allegedly engaging in contractualization.

Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod yesterday said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is investigating HTI not only for violation of occupational safety and health standards.

“Our investigation is not only limited to violation of safety and health standards. We are also looking if HTI is paying its workers right wages and complying with other labor standards,” Maglunsod said.

He said the investigating team, which he heads, would verify if HTI is engaged in illegal contractualization.

“Based on initial information, nearly half or 6,000 of 13,000 HTI employees are under contracting and subcontracting. Only 7,000 are directly hired,” he said.

A team from DOLE went to the Divine Grace Medical Hospital in Cavite to look into complaints that the hospital is refusing to discharge several victims of the HTI blaze.

“The DOLE team will look into reports that the hospital is not capable of treating fire victims, yet refuses to discharge the patients,” Maglunsod said.

Cavite Gov. Jesus Crispin Remulla said three of the victims died supposedly due to poor handling by hospitals where they were confined.

“We have problems dealing with the hospitals because they refused to release the patients or they convinced the families that they are capable of handling the crisis. Burn patients are prone to infection so they need specialized units for treatment,” Remulla said.

At least 20 fire victims remain confined in various hospitals. Of the number, 18 are in critical condition.