Palace alarmed by death of handcuffed Chinese

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday expressed alarm over the death of a 27-year-old Chinese worker who supposedly fell from the sixth floor of a building in Pamplona, Las Piñas City on Friday.

According to a police report, Yang Kang, who worked as an information technology employee, was in handcuffs when he fell to his death after he tried to escape through a window.

Saying the government does not condone any form of abuse against foreigners in the country, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo called on the police to immediately resolve the case.

“We ask the Philippine National Police to look into the incident and track down the victim’s supervisor who allegedly made him a prisoner. Authorities should treat the case with dispatch,” Panelo said.

Police suspected that Yang was illegally detained in the building because he owed his supervisor money.

Investigation showed that Yang’s body was discovered by a security guard who conducted a routine inspection of the building.

City police chief Col. Simnar Gran said the victim was brought to the Las Piñas District Hospital and transferred to the Asian Hopsital in Alabang where he died four hours later.

Police said Yang was recruited to work in the country by a fellow Chinese.

The victim reportedly opted to resign, but his employer required him to first pay the money he had advanced for his flight to the Philippines.

Panelo said the government is concerned over reports that foreign workers in the country, especially Chinese, were being subjected to coercion, illegal detention, extortion and torture by their own countrymen in the Philippines. 

“We need to put a stop to these illegal activities. We will not tolerate abuses inflicted on foreigners whether they are vacationing or working in the country, by their fellow countrymen or by Filipinos,” he said. 

Panelo urged foreign workers to report to authorities employers who violate the law. 

“No one is exempted from the law,” he said.

Yang’s death happened a day after the Chinese embassy expressed concern over the supposed slavery being experienced by some Chinese who are illegally working in Philippine gaming entities.