Locsin warns of reprisal over Chinese worker’s death

MANILA, Philippines — The death of a Chinese man, who fell from a building in Las Piñas last week, should be immediately resolved or Filipinos in China may face reprisal, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said yesterday.

“One hundred percent agree with China on this one. We go down this road of letting Chinese nationals be hurt, our people in China will pay. Send carping yellows to China when the anti-Filipino riots start to take the sacrificial place of our people working at good jobs there,” Locsin tweeted.

Yang Kang, 27, fell to his death from the sixth floor of a building in Pamplona Dos on Friday. Police said Yang was handcuffed to the window grills of their office by his supervisor, identified only as Shi Ba, to whom he reportedly owed money.

“It makes no difference who killer(s) are, killing happened here. Our obligation to bring them to justice pronto. Unless opposition wants to thank Chinese triads. Triads as generous as drug cartels – a hint to administration critics. Deep pockets to line deep convictions,” Locsin said.

Malacañang expressed alarm over the death of the Chinese worker and maintained that the government does not condone any form of abuse against foreigners in the country.

China earlier urged the Philippine government to bring the perpetrators to justice and to protect Chinese citizens in the country.

The Chinese embassy said a large number of its citizens were illegally recruited for Philippine offshore gaming operations and for Philippine casinos, becoming modern-day slaves.

The embassy said these citizens’ passports are taken away or confiscated by their employers. They are confined to live and work in certain designated places and some of them have been subjected to extortion, physical abuse and torture.

Under Chinese law, any form of gambling is illegal.