Police confirmed Tuesday that the woman who was kidnapped by car-riding men in Makati City on Monday night is a POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) worker.
Major Gideon Ines Jr., Makati Investigation Unit chief, said that they were able to identify the victim and her live-in partner, also a POGO employee, through the documents left at the spot of the kidnapping.
He identified the kidnap victim as Zhou Mei, 28. Her relatives went to the Makati Police Station and reported that she was forcibly taken along Paseo de Roxas.
Her live-in partner, Chen Tangbin, reportedly left their condo in Makati early Tuesday morning as there were people asking him to give money in exchange for the liberty of Mei.
“The deed of sale of a car that was left at the kidnapping spot led us to her live-in partner. We were able to talk to the guard and learned that Tangbin left in a hurry,” Ines said.
Based on the police report, Mei was forcibly taken by three unidentified Chinese-looking men aboard a gray Kian Carnival along Paseo de Roxas in Barangay San Lorenzo, Makati City, around 9 p.m., Monday.
The victim and her live-in partner were living at a condo a few blocks from where she was abducted.
The incident was recorded by some people in the area. The victim was heard shouting “Tulong! Tulong!” while she was being forcibly taken.
Verification with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) showed that the plate number of the gray Kia Carnival (LSA- 880) belongs to a white Mitsubishi L300, Ines said.
“In short, they were using a fake plate,” he said.
After the abduction video of the Chinese woman went viral on social media, Mayor Abigail “Abby” Binay ordered the Makati Police to deploy more cops for greater police visibility in the city.
“I have ordered greater police visibility to ensure the safety and protection of all Makatizens, including foreign nationals who work and conduct business in the city,” Binay said in a statement.
The mayor called on residents to utilize of the “Makatizen app” to report crimes and other urgent concerns to the proper authorities.
Binay said she already directed the Makati police chief Colonel Rogelio Simon to stay on top of the follow-up operations and give updates.
“All leads are being pursued to immediately identify the suspects, locate their whereabouts and apprehend them, and safely rescue the victim,” the mayor said.
“While this is an isolated incident, we appeal to all Makati residents to take an active part in keeping our homes, streets and communities safe for us and our children,” she added. (Jel Santos)
