On October 16, Philippine media reported that a Chinese national named Ling was kidnapped by four fully armed Chinese kidnappers in Pasay City, Metro Manila, and was taken to a location in Laguna, south of Metro Manila. The severely injured hostage was later abandoned, apparently with gunshot wounds. Related article: Chinese man kidnapped by compatriots, shot multiple times and taken to hospital!
Around 4 PM yesterday, the kidnappers abandoned Ling on Diezmo Road, Brgy. Diezmo, Cabuyao City. It seems that the kidnappers failed to collect the ransom and shot Ling several times, but the hostage was lucky to survive and was found alive.
The kidnappers stole Ling's black BMW X5 with the license plate number 6149, then fled north towards Barangay Pulo in Cabuyao City.
In June 2021, the Metro Manila police learned of a kidnapping of a Chinese national in the Aseana area in Parañaque City, and patrolled the South Luzon Expressway. After 2 PM, police spotted a suspected kidnapper's white Toyota Coaster near the Cabuyao City exit on the highway and approached it. During this encounter, a shootout occurred between the police and two armed individuals inside the vehicle, resulting in their deaths.
The victim was taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
Local police are retrieving surveillance footage from the surrounding area to identify the kidnappers and their whereabouts.
According to local media, it is unusual for kidnappers in the Philippines to abduct a hostage along with their vehicle. Typically, kidnapper groups come with their own vehicles, which is considered the minimum requirement for such gangs.
Since 2023, many kidnappers have been using vehicles as hideouts for hostages. Due to the increasing difficulty for Chinese individuals involved in gray market activities to rent properties, as landlords require more detailed identity information and have stricter requirements.
The spokesperson for the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission even demanded that "Philippine real estate owners immediately report any suspected illegal activities in their rented units, warning, 'Please ensure you do your due diligence, as if we prove your property was used for illegal activities, we will shut it down. We will initiate civil forfeiture proceedings so that the government can seize your property.'"
PASA previously mentioned that in May 2022, during the kidnapping case of Fujianese real estate developer Mr. Lu in Cebu, a Chinese real estate agent became a suspect because the kidnappers used his rental property as a hideout; similarly, a Chinese restaurant owner became a suspect because the kidnappers rented vehicles through him.
At that time, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 1 billion RMB from Mr. Lu's relatives, which was the highest ransom amount ever handled by the Philippine police in a kidnapping case. It was reported that the case was resolved in the first half of this year, with four kidnappers killed on the spot by police, and the two suspects mentioned above were acquitted due to insufficient evidence; no other suspects were charged in the case.
As a result, real estate owners and agents are becoming more vigilant. This means that the risk for kidnappers using their own identities to rent properties as hideouts for hostages is increasing. Therefore, kidnappers are increasingly adopting a quick kidnapping and ransom model, using vehicles as hideouts and driving to secluded areas to extract more money from the hostages in a short time. After the deed, it is likely that the hostages will be killed.
In a kidnapping case of a Chinese businesswoman on Bohol Island, Philippines, last October, kidnappers like Hong Tianfu kept the hostage in the vehicle, who was kidnapped on the 18th and rescued on the morning of the 24th, also within a short period.
In the domestic pharmaceutical company executive Sun Jingxia Ke Fu kidnapping case in June this year, the kidnappers kidnapped two individuals on the 20th, and killed them by the morning of the 24th. At that time, the kidnapper leader even told the families of the two that "Monday (24th) the police will be back at work, and we will also be closing up." Apparently, the hostages were also controlled inside a vehicle.
For kidnappers, having a vehicle means having the most important tool for moving hostages, escaping pursuit, and collecting ransom.
In this case, the kidnappers probably followed the hostage for a while to understand his habits, which is why they abducted him along with his vehicle. However, the black BMW X5 they stole, knowing the police would track it, was likely abandoned quickly and found by the police.
