Recently in the Philippines, if one word could describe the situation, it would be "chaotic"!
With the large-scale relocation of the POGO industry, not only has the local real estate business in the Philippines been affected, but Shore has almost become a ghost town! Dining and shopping have also seen significant discounts!
There are two other affected aspects that you wouldn't even think of—kidnapping and robbery!
Under the backdrop of the POGO ban, Manila has fewer Chinese POGO workers, who were like walking ATMs. The mood of the Filipino kidnappers is like seeing a pond full of big fish getting flooded, leaving only a few small fish behind! It's not that they pity the fewer fish, but they are angry that there are not many fish left to eat!
Especially as the New Year approaches, kidnappers and robbers are becoming more restless, employing all sorts of cunning tactics to carry out their kidnapping and robbery operations!
Cunning Tactic One: No matter who it is, if you can kidnap, just kidnap!
On the 29th, there was a netizen who reported that two chefs were deceived and kidnapped under the guise of a "home cooking trial"! The kidnappers immediately demanded a ransom of 700,000 RMB from their families!
You should know, many kidnappings disguised as job recruitments are like this, saying they will come to pick you up by car, but in reality, they just kidnap you! Extortion!
These chefs probably didn't expect that, usually, it's always the big bosses getting kidnapped, but now it's their turn, the small fries!
Times change, not to mention chefs, even many regular job seekers have been kidnapped.
It is said that when one of the kidnapped chefs called home, he mentioned that more than ten other people were also kidnapped!
It seems these kidnappers are really desperate.
With the big bosses moving with the large troops, and unable to catch big fish like the bosses, they have turned their attention to chefs and small staff!
Cunning Tactic Two: One fell swoop, why do you all cluster together?!
Not only Chinese kidnappers and robbers, but local Filipino kidnappers and robbers have also become increasingly rampant recently!
Here, I can't help but complain about the gun policy in the Philippines! Many Filipino kidnappers and robbers commit crimes with guns! Once a gun is pulled out, who dares to resist?!
For example, on the evening of the 29th, several Chinese were playing games in a cyber cafe when armed Filipinos burst in and robbed them.
What's more infuriating is that even just eating a meal can lead to a robbery!
On the 30th, a netizen reported that a week earlier, while dining with colleagues in Sanxian County, they were robbed! A Filipino with a gun controlled the security guard, another kept watch, and another took the money. The whole process was so smooth it was astonishing, showing that Filipinos have gained experience from robbing Chinese, even knowing how to cooperate and work together seamlessly!
Aside from Chinese restaurants, Chinese-owned bubble tea shops have also been targeted. On the afternoon of the 2nd, the bubble tea shop "Jidong" located in Shore Building 3 was also reported to have been robbed by an armed individual!
According to surveillance footage, around 21:30 on November 30th, while several customers were waiting for their bubble tea, suddenly a man wearing a helmet and armed with a gun entered the shop and started robbing customers of their phones, taking several phones before swiftly leaving. The whole process took less than 15 seconds!
Cunning Tactic Three: Catch them off guard, commit random acts, and strike when you spot them!
Some robbers really don't prepare at all, they just target Chinese and rob!
Like this leg-hair guy, on the evening of the 30th, when he was walking near the intersection near Makati Crab Old Man, he encountered 4 armed Filipinos! What do you do, give or not give?
Give? Reluctant to lose all your money! Not give? Are you afraid of getting shot?
When the brother saw the Filipinos pull out guns, he had only one thought: run!
His companion wasn't so lucky, as he was busy playing with his phone and by the time he realized what was happening, he had two guns pointed at his head and had no choice but to hand over the contents of his backpack, including a 13WP and a 9G work visa.
Cunning Tactic Four: Strength in numbers, giving no chance for the victim to resist!
A ransom case also occurred in front of the Royal Pacific apartments in Parañaque City a few days ago. On the 1st, 9 Chinese men armed with guns threatened another Chinese man's private driver, demanding 5 million! It seems they had some leverage over him, and even threatened to involve the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) if he didn't pay.
After the police intervened, they immediately arrested 3 people, while 6 others fled.
This incident perfectly illustrates the phrase "strength in numbers." However, it's quite silly that 9 people committing a crime could still get caught!
Cunning Tactic Five: Follow the relocation, commit crimes abroad, and act ruthlessly!
Recently, the frequency of kidnappings in Cambodia has increased compared to before! As we mentioned earlier, with fewer targets in the Philippines, many have moved to Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, so many kidnappers have also relocated to these places!
Do you remember the case from a while ago where a body was found in a reservoir on the Thai-Cambodian border, tied with two 10KG dumbbells?
The victim was just a simple supermarket owner, but after 3 kidnappers captured him, they immediately demanded a ransom of 300,000 US dollars!
It's unclear how the situation developed, but in any case, a 30-year-old man from Fujian named Zeng Mougan just disappeared.
Of the 4 kidnappers, only one has been caught so far.
Another incident occurred on the evening of November 19th, in a hotel in Phnom Penh, where a Chinese man named Lu was kidnapped. Among the 9 perpetrators, there were also Chinese. Unfortunately, so far, the police have only caught 2 suspects, with 7 still at large!
Recently, there have been two particularly heinous cases.
One occurred on the morning of the 2nd, when a male body was found in a pond in Chai Zhen Province, Bary. His eyes were blindfolded, his hands and feet were tied, his upper body was naked, and he was wearing blue jeans. It looked like he had been murdered!
Almost simultaneously, in the suburbs of Phnom Penh, a charred body was also discovered! The scenes! Simply one more terrifying than the other, each more ruthless than the last!
For these people, being in Cambodia gives them even more brazenness than in the Philippines. Setting aside the slow efficiency of the Philippine legal system, at least there are many emergency numbers there. But in Cambodia, it's a place deeply rooted in the grey industry, with a long history of crime, and the overall social and legal environment is even worse than in the Philippines, so kidnappers and robbers here are very bold!
In Cambodia, if you get kidnapped, there's almost no chance of survival, and the chances of solving the case are also very slim. At least that's the case for now!
Finally, under the backdrop of the POGO ban, with the relocation of the POGO industry and kidnappers moving their bases, various criminal activities have increased.
Moreover, with the approach of the New Year, criminal activities are further catalyzed. As the old saying goes: "At the end of the year, even thieves need to celebrate the New Year," and the same goes for these robbers and kidnappers!
I advise every Chinese person in the Philippines, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian countries,
Be careful when going out, especially in places with small paths, enclosures, overpasses, and complex intersections;
Do not flaunt your wealth, be vigilant in guarding your belongings, and do not make yourself a target for criminals. If necessary, consider buying a safe for your home;
Travel in groups, try not to carry valuable jewelry or large amounts of cash when going out, do not wear a chest bag, and especially do not place the zipper at the back;
Be cautious with your personal privacy, do not casually share your travel times, payment habits, etc., with others!
I hope everyone can have a safe, prosperous New Year!
