Immigration officials in the Philippines released 28 Chinese
workers on Tuesday, but are still detaining 63 for not having
permits to work in the country, the Chinese embassy in Manila said
Wednesday.
The released workers had legal work permits issued by the Clark
Special Economic Zone at Clarkfield Pampanga, the Chinese embassy's
police liaison officer Liu Lujun said.
The embassy has discussed with the Philippine Immigration Bureau
the possibility of giving the 63 detained workers a three-month
special work permit, Liu said. They could be released once they
receive the permits.
"All the workers who have been detained are healthy, and are
staying together in a building. Most of them will be allowed to
continue working in the Philippines because of their special
technical skills needed to operate equipment imported from China,"
Liu said, after a series of talks between the Philippines
government and the Chinese embassy.
The 91 Chinese laborers were detained on August 16 after some
Filipinos working in the Clark special zone complained that the
Fontana Company had hired the Chinese to replace them, a Chinese
Commercial News report said Wednesday.
(China Daily August 24, 2007)