5 Chinese nabbed for kidnap of 2 ex-POGO employees in Taguig

FILE: ARRESTED. PNP-AKG operatives present eight suspects, including five Chinese nationals, in the abduction of two former POGO workers in Taguig City on Friday (Oct. 4, 2019). The victims were abducted near a hotel in Pasay last September 27 and were brought into the POGO office where they were rescued earlier this week. (Photo courtesy: NCRPO PIO via PNA)

MANILA — Police officers arrested eight men, including five Chinese nationals, for abducting two former workers of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Taguig City, the Philippine National Police-Anti Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) said Friday.

AKG spokesperson, Lt. Col. Elmer Cereno identified the Chinese nationals as Zou Jian Cong, 26; Yang Yu Yang, 41; Bruce Gao Zhan, 26; Chen Xing Ding, 49; and Wang Jian Bo, 31.

The Filipino suspects were identified as Jose Marlito, 35; Pepe Mengullo, a security officer; and Welson Borlado, also a security officer.

Cereno said the AKG operatives conducted an operation on Wednesday after a former employee of Di Wang Online Game, sought help after his friends named Wang Zhe, 21, and Zhang Jia, 32, were abducted.

During the operation, the security officers of the firm in Taguig City allegedly did not coordinate and instead prevented the policemen from rescuing the victims.

After two hours of negotiation, police officers rescued the victims and arrested the suspects.

Based on the PNP-AKG report, the victims were abducted near a hotel in Pasay using a Toyota van and brought them to the POGO office on September 27.

The suspects demanded 80,000 Chinese renminbi (around PHP580,000) for the release of the victims.

Both victims, who decided to go back to China, were abducted as they were about to get their travel documents.

After the operation, the victims revealed their families paid through money transfer a total of 287,000 Chinese renminbi (around PHP2 million) but instead of releasing them, the suspects demanded again for additional ransom.

Meanwhile, Brenda Doctor Ruvic, who served as the translator of the online gaming firm, was recommended for preliminary investigation.

The five Chinese suspects were subjected to inquest proceedings for kidnapping for ransom with serious illegal detention while the Filipino suspects will face charges for obstruction of justice.