By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang on Monday assured that the government will apply immigration laws with “full force” against illegal Chinese workers in the Philippines.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo clarified an earlier remark made by President Rodrigo R. Duterte saying he would rather allow illegal Chinese workers to work here than put at risk Filipino workers in China who could lose their jobs.
“We wish to clarify that the President’s policy on Chinese workers who are illegally staying in the country remains the same, which is the enforcement of immigration laws against violators,” Panelo said in a statement.
“Our laws will be applied with full force and effect equally to all foreign nationals who violate them,” he added.
Panelo further said that Chinese citizens in blatant violation of our immigration laws “will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.”
He, however, noted that because the President prioritized the plight of our Filipino workers in China, the government will be “cautious” in dealing with illegal Chinese workers in the country.
“The government will tread cautiously and in accordance with the Constitution in dealing with any matter involving Chinese migrants perceived or alleged to be staying illegally, given the situation of thousands of Filipinos staying in China not in accordance with its laws,” Panelo said.
“The plight of our overseas Filipino workers remains foremost in the President’s mind,” he added.
He noted that the government will enforce immigration laws, but also stressed that it cannot afford to act “recklessly” on perceived violations of Chinese citizens.
“To do so would be a dangerous policy as we have, as the President stressed in his campaign rally speech, thousands of Filipinos in China and its government might enforce a policy of tit for tat to the detriment of our countrymen in China,” Panelo said.
Meanwhile, Panelo said that Chinese workers who have working permits and compliant with immigration rules and do not violate the laws of the land will be given protection.
He emphasized that Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua, in his courtesy call with the President, said that while the Chinese government enforces China’s laws against foreign nationals who violate them, Philippine laws will also be enforced against foreign citizens, including Chinese nationals who transgress them.
On February 23, Duterte, in a speech during the PDP-Laban campaign rally in Biñan, Laguna, said he would allow illegal Chinese workers in the country since there are more than 300,000 Filipinos working in China.
“Iyong mga Chinese dito, hayaan mo ‘yan na dito magtrabaho. Hayaan mo. Bakit? (The Chinese, let them work here. Let them be. Why?) We have 300,000 Filipinos in China,” Duterte said.
“Kaya hindi ako maka — sabihin, o umalis kayo dito, deport ka doon. Eh kung bigla paalisin ‘yun doon 300,000 of them (That’s why I can’t say just leave, or have them deported. What if they send all 300,000 Filipinos away)?” he added.
