FOUR Chinese nationals accused of abducting their compatriots and allegedly demanding huge ransoms from the victims’ families abroad were arrested by agents of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group National Capital Region Field Unit in Bacoor City, Cavite on Friday, PNP-CIDG director, Major General Eliseo DC Cruz announced Sunday.

Arrested along Princeton Subdivision in Barangay Mambog 4 in Bacoor City around 2 p.m. Friday were Huang Yang Hui,31; Jerry Hong,32; Xiang Long Huang,29; and Yang Yuan,28, said the PNP-CIDG director in a report to PNP Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant General Vicente D. Danao Jr.

The first three suspects are all jobless and reside in the Bacoor City subdivision while Yuan is a POGO operator residing at 308 Burgundy, McKinley, Pacific Avenue in Don Galo, Parañaque City, said the PNP-CIDG director citing a report from CIDG-NCRFU chief, Colonel Randy Glenn G. Silvio.

Members of the CIDG-NCRFU launched a hot pursuit operation to arrest the suspects following a report regarding a kidnapping and robbery incident that occurred at around 1:30 a.m. Friday along Gilmore Street corner 11th St. in New Manila, Quezon City.

Shortly after the abduction was reported by the driver of the victims, the CIDG-NCRFU conducted the operation which led to the arrest of the four suspects.

An initial investigation showed at least six unidentified heavily-armed Chinese-looking men snatched four female and three male Chinese nationals in the area.

Witnesses said the kidnappers were armed with long and short firearms when they seized the victims.

Recovered from the arrested suspects were identification cards, a caliber .45 semi-automatic pistol with a magazine containing some live ammunition and several mobile phones which were identified by the driver-witness as belonging to some of the victims.

“We are still continuing our operation to locate the victims of abduction as of press time,” said Silvio.

The CIDG-NCRFU chief said witnesses interviewed at the scene claimed the armed men spoke Chinese when they snatched the seven victims.

Silvio said that prior to the New Manila abduction case, they have received information regarding the rampant abduction of Chinese nationals in some parts of the metropolis over the past few months.

The kidnappers were believed to be contacting the families of their captives in China and demanding that they pay ransom thru virtual currency or the hostages will be ‘sold’ to other alleged POGO or Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators in NCR and nearby regions.

Charges for kidnapping, robbery and violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 are being reaidied against the arrested suspects who are now being held at the CIDG-NCRFU lock-up facility in Camp Crame, Silvio said.