An innocent Chinese man was arrested while eating barbecue with his Filipina wife at a Korean restaurant in Clark, Angeles City on June 5 last year. According to reports, he was suspected of being among those who fled from Park No. 3—a place that authorities raided but discovered empty due to an alleged tip-off from above.
Many Chinese and Koreans were arrested by the PAOCC that night, and even the Koreans were implicated due to mistaken identity. Even though the Chinese man's wife arrived immediately with a lawyer and called the Chinese embassy, nothing happened. Up to ₱150,000 was paid to the lawyer, but there was no clarity on the case.
Having lost hope in the legal process, they tried to arrange the departure through other means. "Casio" was paid ₱2 million for repatriation, but this too failed due to POGO's internal review. Ultimately, the man was forced to return to China in March on a special flight.
Upon arriving in China, he was immediately taken to the police station and interrogated. Although the police believed him, they could do nothing because he was already tagged from Park No. 3. He was told that he could be released if he paid 300,000 yuan, but his money was gone after spending more than 500,000 yuan during his 10-month detention. In the end, he was sentenced to four years in prison.
Many foreigners find themselves in these situations in the Philippines—not all are so lucky. My friend's story is a reminder that life abroad is not always easy. Caution and proper information are the best protection.
