NBI rounds up 600 Chinese working illegally at Batangas power plant

MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has rounded up hundreds of Chinese nationals working inside Calaca power plant owned by DMCI Holdings Inc. (DMCI).

On Thursday, members of the NBI’s Foreign Liaison Division (NBI-FLD), Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Labor and Employment inspected the Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. Power Plant in Calaca, Batangas to verify the information that the company is hiring illegal aliens including minors.

The construction, which will be in two phases, was for the expansion of DMCI’s existing 600-megawatt Calaca power facility by another 600 MW.

“Our informant said that they have been hiring undocumented foreigners for a long time and Filipino workers are being maltreated. There were also reports of human trafficking,” NBI-FLD Chief Atty. Daniel Daganzo told reporters.

Initially, the security guards blocked the authorities from entering the facility but they were immediately disarmed by the NBI.

Inside, Daganzo said they found about 600 Chinese nationals working as technical staff, engineers, laborers, among others.

The NBI added that intelligence information that they and the Bureau of Immigration have received showed that a Chinese subcontractor was bringing in the workers.

“They prefer Chinese workers because it is easier to communicate with them since the engineers are also Chinese,” Daganzo explained.

Initial verification showed that 82 out of 260 foreign workers in the power plant do not have the necessary documents and permits.

The Chinese, who were brought to the NBI headquarters, are facing deportation proceedings.