Recently, the police in Marawi City, Philippines, cracked a fraud case specifically targeting Chinese citizens. A 37-year-old Chinese man was arrested on April 19 during a meticulously planned sting operation by the police for allegedly extorting money from compatriots under the pretext of "revoking arrest warrants".
According to Mercy Villaro, the spokesperson for the Marawi City Police Office, the suspect, who used the alias "Ching", lived in Labu-Labu City. He demanded 200,000 pesos (approximately 25,000 RMB) from a 55-year-old Chinese citizen named Zhong, claiming he could help cancel the "pending arrest warrant" against Zhong.
"The victim stated that he had never received any legal proceedings notifications and became suspicious of the suspect's claims, prompting him to call the police," said Colonel Villaro. The police then initiated an investigation and captured the suspect on the spot during the sting operation on April 19 at Mantawi Avenue in Jibulo Malongay, Marawi City.
The police investigation revealed that Zhong had no criminal record, and the initial check showed that the suspect had no prior offenses. No other victims have been identified so far. Notably, the police used marked bills as evidence during the operation, ensuring the smooth progress of the case.
The Philippine police have now contacted the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines to verify the background information of the two individuals involved, in order to further investigate the details of the case. The case was officially transferred to the city prosecutor's office on April 21, and the suspect will face charges of robbery extortion.
Colonel Villaro reminds Chinese citizens in the Philippines to be vigilant and not to easily believe others' promises of "paying money to avoid disasters", and to report similar situations to the police promptly. The police will also strengthen anti-fraud propaganda targeting the Chinese community.
