FIVE Chinese nationals believed to be involved in the kidnapping-for-ransom of their wealthy compatriots and others working in Philippine offshore gaming operation (POGO) companies in the country were arrested by Philippine National Police (PNP) agents in an entrapment operation in Tagaytay City on Thursday, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Major General Albert Ignatius D. Ferro said.

In a report to PNP chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, the CIDG director said the arrested suspects were led by Zhili Wang, tagged as the leader of the “Wang Group” said to be abducting wealthy Chinese nationals and POGO workers in the country.

He said that members of the Southern Metro Manila Field Unit of the CIDG National Capital Region Field Unit, with the assistance of the local police arrested the suspects in an entrapment operation.

Apart from Zhili Wang, others arrested were identified as Gang Wang, Jia Bao Bi, Jun Guan Lin and Ling Jie Kong.

The suspects were caught in the act of receiving the marked money from a relative of Tanghai Xu.

According to Ferro, the victim’s family asked their help in investigating the case of Xu who was said to have been abducted by the suspects after being invited to a restaurant meeting in Binondo, Manila last August 30.

The victim was reportedly taken to the gang’s safehouse in Tagaytay City where he was beaten up and detained for seven days by his captors who initially demanded a P4-million ransom for his safe release.

However, they did not release the victim and instead demanded an additional P2 million from his family.

Ferro said that recovered from the possession of the suspects were the P2 million worth of boodle money, different firearms, several loaded magazines, two pairs of handcuffs, an improvised electric shock, 15 heat-sealed plastic sachets containing 150 grams of shabu worth around P1.2 million and assorted drug paraphernalia.

Criminal cases for violation of Republic Act (RA) 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearm and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2002, RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and RA 1084 or kidnapping and serious illegal detention have been filed against the accused before the Tagaytay City Prosecutor’s Office.

Ferro said they are now coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration for their investigation into the travel records and stay of the suspects in the country.

The Tagaytay City operation came a day after three Chinese POGO workers said to have been kidnapped by their rogue compatriots were rescued unharmed by agents of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in an operation in Silang, Cavite.

PNP-HPG director Brigadier Gen. Alexander C. Tagum said the operation in Bgy. Balete 1 in Silang likewise led in the arrest of six Chinese nationals and two of their Filipino associates who were believed to have seized the three and held them captive for days.

Tagum said that at around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, members of the HPG Special Operations Division (SOD)-Task Force Limbas and the NCRPO Anti-Criminality Task Group raided the suspects’ rented place in Silang.

The operation resulted in the arrest of six Chinese nationals led by one Jerimy Whong and the rescue of the three.

The operation was triggered by an intelligence packet developed by the HPG SOD-Task Force Limbas headed by Lieutenant Colonel Joel Manuel Ana regarding a group of Chinese nationals kidnapping their compatriots who are working in POGO companies in Metro Manila.

The suspects were reportedly headed by one Goufo Chen alias “Andy” and even has an office in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. Tagum said they have monitored that the Chinese gang members have rented several big real estate properties outside Metro Manila to conceal their illicit activities.

He said that it is in these places where the victims are being held while the kidnappers are demanding ransom from their families abroad prior to their release.

The suspects are still undergoing investigation at the NCRPO headquarters as of press time.