By JEFFREY G. DAMICOG
Government agents rescued an abducted Singaporean woman and arrested 45 foreigners suspected to be members of a Chinese kidnap-for-ransom group during a raid on a hotel in Pasay City, Tuesday.
Department of Justice (DoJ) Undersecretary Erickson Balmes said that all 45 foreigners were scheduled to be presented for inquest before State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon yesterday following the rescue of Singaporean Wu Yan.
He said the group is “believed to be responsible in the series of kidnapping incidents perpetrated against foreign nationals who are high roller casino players in recent months.”
Citing reports from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Balmes said Wu Yan was rescued from Room 301 of the Bayview International Towers where she was kept against her will after being forcibly taken from Solaire Resort and Casino in Pasay City.
The resuce operation was conducted by operatives of the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) and the Philippine National Police-Anti Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG)
During the operation, the arrested 26 foreign nationals failed to present any immigration documents and refused to divulge their identities.
Among those arrested, the victim positively identified three persons as the ones who forcibly took her. They are Malaysian nationals Ng Yu Meng and Goh Kok Keong and Chinese national Zhang Fuxing who was named as the alleged leader of the group.
While being detained, the victim was beaten up and threatened by her kidnappers who demanded US$180,000 for her release.
Balmes said the PNP-AKG conducted another follow-up operation which resulted in the arrest of 19 more foreign members of the group.
The 45 foreign nationals were brought and detained at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
