A kidnapping case involving Chinese nationals reoccurs in the Philippines, with several Chinese citizens among the suspects. The Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) of the Philippine National Police announced that a Chinese man kidnapped in Parañaque City, Metro Manila, was successfully rescued in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
According to the report, the police arrested 12 suspects during the rescue operation, including 6 Filipinos and 6 Chinese nationals. Some suspects are still at large, and the police are continuing their pursuit.
The victim of this case is a Chinese businessman who runs a building materials business in Taguig City. He was abducted in front of an apartment in Parañaque City on July 1, and his family did not report to the police until July 3.
The police explained that after kidnapping the businessman, the kidnappers contacted his family in China to demand a ransom, specifying payment through a cryptocurrency account. The family then transferred the ransom amounting to several million yuan via a digital wallet.
The AKG stated that this is a typical case of "transnational extortion + cryptocurrency transfer". Although the victim was in the Philippines, the extortion was clearly directed at and operated from within China, indicating that the criminal gang possesses sophisticated technical means and organizational division.
Glicerio Cansilao, Major General and head of AKG, emphasized: "This successful rescue operation is the result of our team's round-the-clock, all-out effort. We are committed to ensuring the personal safety of victims, no matter where they are from."
As this case came to light, the local Chinese community once again expressed concerns about safety. What has drawn even more public attention is that 6 of the arrested suspects are Chinese. Many question: "Chinese kidnapping Chinese," has this type of crime chain already formed a grey cycle in the Philippines?
The case is still under further investigation. The police are calling for those with information to come forward and are reminding Chinese citizens in the Philippines to enhance their safety awareness to avoid falling into traps of frequent kidnapping and extortion.
