Tsinoys fear kidnap surge

Manila Police District (MPD) director Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa assured the Chinese-Filipino community yesterday that they will be given adequate police protection like all other residents in case violence escalates during the election period.

Abarzosa also allayed fears from Chinese-Filipino businessmen of a resurgence of kidnappings perpetrated by unscrupulous election candidates to raise election campaign funds.

"The police are on top of the situation. I only ask for your cooperation to trust your neighborhood policemen. And do not hesitate to report any suspicious person to your nearest police station. This is the only way we can prevent these unscrupulous persons from committing their criminal activities," Abarzosa told representatives of the Chinese-Filipino Business Club who paid a courtesy call at the MPD headquarters yesterday.

The group, headed by its president George Lee, expressed their fear of the escalation of violence in their community following the ambush killing of one of their members in Binondo, Manila last Sunday.

Lester Mancillia, 34, owner of a large plastics factory, was shot by a suspected killer-for-hire in front of the YMCA building at the cormer of Gandara and Soler streets past 8 a.m.

Mancillia was on his way to attend a basketball practice at a nearby gymnasium when a gunman appeared and repeatedly shot him.

Witnesses said the gunman, backed by at least two accomplices, casually walked towards a waiting Starex van and made his get-away.

Mancillia died at the Metropolitan Hospital while being treated for multiple gunshot wounds.

Lee told Abarzosa that Mancillia was the uncle of a kidnapped boy who was rescued by the police two years ago, in which former Quezon City Rep. Dennis Roldan was named by the arrested kidnappers as the mastermind.

The case is currently being heard in a Quezon City court. Roldan is out on bail.

"We believe that the killers of Mancillia, who may have something to do with the kidnapping of his nephew, are sending out a message to the Chinese-Filipino community that they are still active in their criminal activities," Lee said.

He warned that they may be forced to transfer their businesses to other Asian countries if killings of Tsinoy traders continue.

Homicide investigators, led by Senior Police Officer 4 Ed Paterno, assuaged their fears, saying they are already on the track of Mancillia’s killers.

Paterno rejected speculation from the Chinese-Filipino community that the Mancillia killing is related to the kidnapping of his nephew last year.

"We have now a strong case against the suspects. Our investigation showed the ambush killing had no relation at all to the recent kidnapping and rescue of his nephew," Paterno told The STAR. He declined to give details to avoid jeopardizing the investigation.