A Chinese student from a well-known international school in Manila, Philippines, was recently kidnapped on his way home from school and a huge ransom was demanded. This case has attracted widespread attention on social media, and the victim student has now been safely released.
It is reported that the victim, 14-year-old Malaysian Chinese Andy Wan (phonetic), was attending the prestigious "British School Manila". On February 20, he left the campus at the BGC site and took a vehicle arranged by his family, but unfortunately encountered kidnappers. The family reported the incident to the police the next day (February 21).
It is said that the Starex vehicle Andy was riding in was later found in Bulacan province, with the driver murdered (this information is yet to be confirmed by the police). The kidnappers then demanded a ransom of up to 20 million US dollars from the family, cruelly cutting off one of the boy's little fingers, coercing the family to pay with videos and photos. It is rumored that the criminal gang is suspected to be related to the remnants of an online gambling group.
Photos circulating on social media show that after the family paid the ransom, the boy has safely returned home. Currently, the British School Manila is closely cooperating with the victim's family and relevant law enforcement agencies to assist in the investigation of the case.
The school has officially issued a statement confirming the incident is true, but did not reveal further details, and called on the public to avoid excessive speculation and to respect the privacy of the victim's family. The school principal, Martin Van Der Linde, stated: "We understand that this incident may cause concern, and the school has arranged a psychological counseling team to provide support for students and staff."
The police are continuing to pursue the identity of the kidnappers, and the case is still under further investigation.
