Chinese Citizen Dies in Philippine Immigration Detention, China Demands Impartial Investigation

Dragon Media News Desk

A Chinese citizen died on Tuesday while being held at a detention facility of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration pending deportation, prompting China to demand an immediate, comprehensive and impartial investigation into the incident.

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said on Thursday evening through its official WeChat account that it was deeply shocked and saddened by the death and had immediately lodged solemn representations with the Philippine side.

According to the embassy, it had previously informed the detention facility that the Chinese citizen suffered from serious underlying medical conditions and faced significant health risks. The embassy said it had explicitly urged the facility to closely monitor the detainee’s health and provide necessary medical treatment in a timely manner.

China has demanded that the Philippine authorities promptly carry out a comprehensive and impartial investigation, establish the facts as soon as possible and provide the embassy with a full and objective account of what happened.

The embassy said that if the investigation finds negligence, dereliction of duty or other failures in the handling of the detainee’s medical condition, those responsible must be seriously dealt with and held accountable.

“The right to life is the most fundamental human right,” the embassy said, stressing that regardless of a person’s legal status or whether they are in detention, their life and basic humanitarian rights must be protected.

China also urged the Philippine side to immediately take effective measures to ensure that detainees receive necessary medical care and humane treatment, while improving detention management to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

According to the Global Times, the Chinese Embassy expects the Philippine side to provide a complete and objective account of the incident following the investigation.