Steel facility workers allege harassment during Davao raid

DAVAO CITY — Employees of a steel manufacturing facility raided by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on 13 August 2026 in Barangay Ilang claimed they were harassed and mistreated during the operation.

In an interview, a female employee alleged that NBI and PAOCC personnel entered the facility without presenting a search warrant as authorities investigated reports that steel products manufactured by the company were substandard, radioactive and hazardous.

“I thought they were terrorists. It was a surprise when they came. We were just working in our offices, then they [NBI] came with their long guns pointing at us,” the employee said.

She also claimed authorities inspected their personal belongings, ordered employees to remain quiet during the operation and instructed personnel to shut down the facility’s closed-circuit television cameras.

“They also checked our personal belongings, which I think is not proper. They also asked us to stay quiet on their surprise investigation before leading us out of our offices. They also asked our personnel to shut down the CCTV,” she said.

The employee added that workers were screened for toxic substances, with the tests yielding negative results.

The allegations of harassment have yet to be independently verified.

Ten Chinese nationals and four Filipinos were arrested during the raid, while authorities said as many as 174 Filipino workers were rescued from the manufacturing facility.

The operation followed reports that steel products manufactured at the facility were allegedly substandard and potentially hazardous to human health and the environment.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag led the operation, accompanied by PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Benjamin Acorda Jr. and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Assistant Secretary Felix Alicer.