THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Tacloban City has confirmed that the 12 Chinese working at the MacArthur Iron and Project Corp. (MIPC) in Barangay Maya, MacArthur, Leyte had no work permits. Lawyer Robbin Docena, acting alien control officer of the Bureau of Immigration in Tacloban City, said the MIPC informed their office that it had temporarily ceased its operation in June 2021 and planned to reapply for a permit once it was operational. However, according to rice farmers in the village, the mining firm was already operational. The farmers also complained that MIPC was mining on their agricultural lands. Docena was urging farmers in MacArthur town to file their complaint before their office in order for the BI to conduct an investigation.