Chinese federation offers reward for arrest of trader's killer

MANILA, Philippines - Officials of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. and the Chinese embassy paid a courtesy call on Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay yesterday to offer assistance for the early solution of the rob-slay of a Chinese national in Tondo, Manila on Sunday.

Led by FFCCCII secretary-general Dr. Fernando Gan, the Chinese officials offered to raise the financial reward for the arrest of the suspects. “We are discussing with Gen. Magtibay the amount we will be giving to informants who can give information that leads to the arrest of the suspects,” Gan told The STAR.

Police earlier released a photo of one of the suspects in the killing of 33-year-old Chinese national Xintuo Weng, warehouse manager of Golden Tiffany Merchandizing located along Honorio Lopez Blvd., Balut, Tondo. “We are releasing the suspect’s photo to seek the assistance of the public for his apprehension, and to warn the Chinese community not to employ this man,” MPD’s homicide section head Chief Inspector Erwin Margarejo said.

According to Margarejo, the suspect is a member of the notorious “Bukas Bodega” allegedly responsible for robbing warehouses owned by Chinese traders. The gang, composed of Samareños, has gained notoriety in Pasay and Parañaque cities.

The gang’s modus operandi is to apply one of their members as warehouse helper who submits fake and spurious documents to his employer. The gang usually targets Chinese nationals due to their practice of not filing complaints to police.

Margarejo said the suspect had submitted to his employer an NBI clearance of another individual superimposed with his photo. “That is why we cannot release his name based on the NBI clearance since it could belong to an innocent individual,” Margarejo said.

Investigation showed that at around 6 a.m. Sunday, the suspect and four of his cohorts entered the Golden Tiffany warehouse, hogtied and repeatedly stabbed Weng. The incident was witnessed by the victim’s wife Xiaoyuan Zheng, prompting the suspects to tie her feet and hands and gagged her mouth with masking tapes.

The suspects then took 100 boxes each containing 36 pairs of shoes from the warehouse and loaded them into a waiting van with Chinese characters on one side. The van’s driver sped away, while the five suspects casually walked toward the direction of Infanta street.

After 30 minutes, Zheng managed to untie herself and sought assistance from barangay officials. Her husband was already dead when found. Police found the manager’s room in disarray, indicating the suspects could have taken more cash and valuables.