Tovic Salvador

Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, 2018.  Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission on Thursday said that a Chinese Embassy official warned of possible retaliation against Filipinos in China following the government&#x27;s raid on a steel manufacturing facility in Misamis Oriental.</p><p>PAOCC Executive Director Benjamin Acorda Jr. said the warning was relayed to him by the official two days after the May operation at the Sanjia steel plant.</p><p>“Sinabi sa akin na &#x27;Please know, general, that the hardliners in Beijing are considering this for retaliation. Remember, there are many Filipinos in China&#x27;,” Acorda said. </p><p>Acorda said the statement came as the Chinese side questioned the arrest of Chinese nationals during the operation and sought their release.</p><p>He said the Chinese side maintained that the arrested nationals were legitimate workers and should not be treated as criminals.</p><p>But Acorda insisted the operation was a law enforcement action, not an anti-China campaign.</p><p>“I tried to explain to them that this operation is not anti-China but it’s purely law enforcement operation. It is protecting the community because of some environmental considerations of those hazardous materials at saka ‘yung substandard materials. It so happened na Chinese ‘yung mga nandun,” he said. </p><p>“To my assessment, they are trying to create a political issue. I don&#x27;t know why, but dapat hindi ganun e. This is more of an anti-criminality operation,” he added. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>UNDOCUMENTED</strong></div><p>Some of those apprehended were undocumented, prompting authorities to coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration. </p><p>Others were being considered for criminal charges.</p><p>The Chinese nationals were eventually released because they had not been formally charged, while the Department of Justice referred the case to the National Bureau of Investigation for further investigation.</p><p>Acorda said the case remains ongoing, with possible charges still being pursued.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>OPERATIONS CONTINUE</strong></div><div><strong><br/></strong></div><p>Despite the warning, Acorda said PAOCC would continue its operations against steel plants suspected of producing substandard or radioactive materials.</p><p>“Kasi mga kababayan na natin, mga sasagasaan. Can you imagine the effect? ‘Yung mga steel bars na radioactive, kahit ilagay mo na sa building, kahit may semento, it will keep on eluting radiation na parang na x-ray,” he stressed. </p><p>“So imagine, nagkakasakit na tayo ng cancer, di pa natin alam kung anong nagko-cause. If we use these steel bars… they will last for hundreds or billions of years, ‘yun ang half-life ng mga radioactive materials. Meaning ‘yung kapabayaan natin kung walang gusto na ibang ahensya, mamanahin ng mga ilang henerasyon,” he added. </p><p>He also said PAOCC would strengthen coordination among government agencies to address gaps and overlapping functions in regulating such facilities.</p><p>Acorda said any diplomatic response to the reported warning would be handled by higher government authorities, including the Department of Foreign Affairs.</p><p>For PAOCC, he said, its mandate remains focused on enforcing Philippine laws and protecting the public.</p>

<p>The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission on Thursday said that a Chinese embassy official warned of "possible retaliation" against Filipinos in China following the government's raid on a steel manufacturing facility in Misamis Oriental.</p>

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission on Thursday said that a Chinese embassy official warned of "possible retaliation" against Filipinos in China following the government's raid on a steel manufacturing facility in Misamis Oriental.

PAOCC says Chinese official warned of retaliation over steel plant raid

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PAOCC says Chinese official warned of retaliation over steel plant raid

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 13, 2026 05:39 PM PHT

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