8 Chinese nabbed for kidnap of POGO employees

FILE: ARRESTED. Police officials present to the media suspects in separate kidnapping incidents in Camp Crame on Tuesday (Nov. 26, 2019). The suspects, majority of whom are Chinese nationals, were involved in the kidnapping of their compatriots working in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs). (Photo courtesy of PNP-AKG via PNA)

MANILA — Anti-kidnapping operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have arrested a total of eight Chinese nationals and a Filipino in separate police operations in Laguna and Parañaque City.

PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) spokesperson, Lt. Col. Joel Saliba, on Tuesday identified the suspects as Chen Kai En, Wang Jian Xiong, Mei Lin and Ariel Carmona, a Filipino, who were all arrested in San Pedro City, Laguna on Saturday.

The next day, the suspects’ cohorts Jack Chan and Ruohuang Chen were arrested in Cabuyao City.

Saliba said the suspects were arrested for detaining two Chinese nationals Li Fei Yu and Long Yong Lin, who were working in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

He said the two victims arrived in the country on November 13 to work as computer technicians in a company owned by Chan.

Yu and Lin said they were being recorded on video while being beaten by the suspects who will send it to their families in China to force them to pay the fees for their release.

The victims said the suspects were asking them to pay for the money used by the company for them to be brought here for work.

The two decided that they already want to go back to their country which allegedly resulted in Chan’s order for them to be held captive.

In another police operation on Sunday, Saliba said the operatives of AKG arrested suspects Gong Xiong, Wang Weibin, and Wang Qing Bong for the illegal detention of Sha Shuo, 31, in Parañaque City.

Shuo is a manager at the Mandarin Customer Service Company for about two years.

The victim was rescued in a condominium unit in Paranaque City following a report from Shuo’s friend.

He said he went on a vacation in China for a week and when he got back to the Philippines, he expressed intention to leave the company and transfer to another.

The company’s owner allegedly did not want the victim to leave, prompting him to order his abduction.

Shuo said the suspects showed him a piece of paper indicating his billing statement.

The suspects are currently detained at AKG and facing complaints of kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

The AKG has earlier expressed alarm over the increasing number of POGO-related kidnappings.

Saliba said they are dismayed that in most cases, charges against the suspects were being dismissed after having an amicable settlement with their victims.

He also admitted that POGO-related kidnappings were “draining” their resources.

Saliba said they are continuously coordinating with other concerned agencies, including the Chinese Embassy to address such matters.