Six people, including four Chinese, were arrested Monday by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents for abducting and torturing a couple for allegedly reporting to Chinese authorities the illegal online gambling activities of a firm in the Philippines.
NBI Deputy Director Vicente De Guzman III identified the arrested suspects as Chinese nationals Tan Xiaguang, Zheng Jia Lei, Su Zhiwei, and Lin Jian Zhou; Vietnamese Tran Bui Thu Thuy; and Filipino Virgilio Cuyugan San Juan.
De Guzman said the six suspects were arrested by the NBI’s Special Action Unit (NBI-SAU) during rescue operations in Southkey Hun, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
The suspects were presented before the Muntinlupa City Prosecutor’s Office also on Monday for inquest on charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
All the foreign suspects were also found to have entered the country using tourist visa.
De Guzman said the NBI conducted the operation based on information from the Chinese male victim who managed to escape from their captors on Monday and report what happened to the Ayala Alabang Village security officers.
The victim stressed that they were detained for 10 days during which they were tortured,” the NBI said.
During the operation, the NBI-SAU learned that the Chinese victim’s pregnant wife was sent back to China after learning that Filipino authorities were looking for them.
Meanwhile, De Guzman assured the Chinese woman is safely back in China following fears that she may have suffered a miscarriage.
The Chinese male victim told the NBI he was hired to work as an electrician for a Chinese employer who runs an online gambling firm.
However, the Chinese couple was abducted from their residence in Clark, Pampanga on suspicion of reporting to Chinese authorities about his employer’s illegal online gambling operation.
After being held at their home, they were taken to a house in Ayala Alabang Village. From there, the suspects moved to one of the properties of the company after the Chinese male victim escaped.
De Guzman declined to name the Chinese online gaming company which will the subject of an investigation of the NBI. (Jeffrey Damicog)
