Lawyer: Valenzuela factory owners unaware manpower provider was unregistered

The owners of the factory that was gutted by fire in Valenzuela City were unaware that the manpower agency that provided its manpower requirements was unregistered with the Department of Labor and Employment.

Atty. Renato Paraiso, the lawyer of Kentex Manufacturing Corp., said his clients didn't know that CJC Manpower Services failed to register with the government.

DOLE-National Capital Region Director Alex Avila on Monday said Kentex may be considered "direct employers" of the victims after CJC was found to be unregistered.

Seventy-two were confirmed dead in the fire.

Of the sixty-eight who were reported missing during the fire, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said thirty-one were employees of CJC Manpower.

Paraiso would no longer comment on the matter. He said Kentex records were burned during the fire and that he has yet to consult the owners of the company.

The owners of Kentex are themselves still recovering from the incident, the lawyer added.

Days after the incident, Kentex gave all the 200 or so workers of the factory P13,000 each as "initial" compensation.

Paraiso said that Kentex would be distributing additional monetary aid but details if which cannot be divulged at the moment. -NB, GMA News