37 Chinese nationals held for lack of work permits

Immigration personnel inspect some documents at the KCC Mall site in Cotabato City where 37 Chinese nationals are allegedly working without work permits. Photo courtesy of NBI-BARMM

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 15 November) — Thirty-seven Chinese nationals suspected of working at a mall construction site without the required work permits for foreigners have been placed in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Jonathan Balite, regional director of the NBI-BARMM confirmed they went to the KCC Mall site in Cotabato City, along with police and military personnel, to invite the 37 Chinese nationals working there for questioning.

“We are currently undergoing identity verification, as they are reportedly contractors and construction officials for the Koronadal Commercial Corporation (KCC) Mall of Cotabato under construction,” Balite said.

“The NBI is verifying the authenticity of their documents and the legality of their presence at the construction site,” an NBI investigator who opted not to be named told MindaNews during a visit to their office. 

The NBI showed a video of the operation to MindaNews.

It took around four hours for the NBI to locate the 37 Chinese nationals among hundreds of workers at the mall compound.

“But from what I’ve heard, they don’t have working permits, meaning they don’t have working visas,” Balite said.

The agency is waiting for an update from the Bureau of Immigration on the status of the Chinese nationals.

The management of KCC has not issued yet a statement regarding the incident. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera/MindaNews)