The four Chinese nationals were arrested after they allegedly kidnapped a fellow Chinese man from a resort in Parañaque, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
According to PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III, the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) arrested the suspects on August 2 after receiving a 911 call from the victim's friend. Investigation revealed that the victim, a 30-year-old man, sought help to send ₱150,000 to China for his mother's medical treatment. He gave ₱100,000 as a down payment before the group persuaded him to go to a casino for allegedly higher currency exchange rates.
Upon arriving at the scene on August 1, the victim was immediately chained and held at gunpoint. He was ordered to pay ₱2.8 million in cryptocurrency (50,000 USDT) in exchange for his freedom. While in custody, the victim was able to borrow a phone and send a message to a friend, who immediately reported it to the police.
During the operation, five Chinese were caught but it was discovered that the 19-year-old woman who was with the group had no involvement. According to the police, she was also a victim of the syndicate. Torre added that the four suspects are related to POGO and are known as money changers who use USDT and e-wallets to transfer money to China.
The suspects are currently in the custody of the AKG at Camp Crame and will be subjected to inquest proceedings. The police are also coordinating with various agencies to monitor and regulate the movement of foreigners in the country.
