69 Chinese nationals nabbed at Tony Yang-linked steel plant in Misamis Oriental

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities raided a steel manufacturing plant in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, on Friday, May 15, resulting in the arrest of 69 Chinese nationals and one Filipino.

In a statement, the Department of National Defense said the allegedly undocumented Chinese nationals and the Filipino worker were handling potentially hazardous materials.

According to reports, the workers underwent inquest proceedings, while five incorporators linked to the steel company, Phil. Sanjia-Steel Corp., remain at-large.

In an interview with reporters on Saturday, May 16, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said  the steel manufacturing plant is owned by businessman Tony Yang, who was previously linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

"Ito ay pag-aari ni Tony Yang na kapatid ng notorious drug lord na si Michael Yang, kung saan dapat nakakulong ‘yan. Nakakulong naman talaga, pero tuluy-tuloy pa rin ito na nag-ooperate," Teodoro said, according to reports. 

(This is owned by Tony Yang, who is the brother of notorious drug lord Michael Yang, where he should be jailed. He is indeed jailed, but this continues to operate continuously.)

"So, dahil nga tuluy-tuloy ito na nag-ooperate, hindi ko alam kung paano pa nakakuha ng business permit ito. Hindi na dapat eh,” he added.

(So, because it just keeps on operating, I don't know how it managed to get a business permit. It really shouldn't have.)

Tony is the brother of Michael Yang, the former economic adviser of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte. He previously admitted during a Senate hearing that he was not a legitimate Filipino citizen.

On Saturday, May 16, Teodoro and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. toured a facility within the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate, a semi-autonomous Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation managed by the defense department.

Teodoro also directed the Office of Civil Defense Region X to conduct a full inventory and accounting of employees affected by the halted operations, as the facility remains an active crime scene under investigation and subject to an ongoing search warrant, according to a statement of the Department of National Defense.