MANILA, Philippines - The fraud syndicate led by Chinese national Wei Hao Lo, whose 24 members were arrested last Monday, has been operating in Southeast Asian countries, according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Case officer Lawyer Norman Anire, of the NBI Anti-Fraud and Action Division (AFAD), told reporters that he was informed by officials of the Chinese police that the syndicate is operating in Asian countries, including China and the Philippines.
The passports of the 24 arrested Chinese and Taiwanese nationals showed that they have been to Thailand earlier.
Anire revealed that the Vice Premier of China is also “very much interested in this case” due to the massive operations of the syndicate.
Lo is still at large.
AFAD chief Lawyer Cesar Bacani said the group may have been operating in other Asian countries, including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, but the NBI has only confirmed its operation in the Philippines and in mainland China.
Local authorities in China raided five of Lo’s safehouses there, simultaneous with the raids conducted on his eight safehouses here that led to the arrest of about 100 members.
The 11 Chinese nationals arrested here were identified as Peng Yu Xue, He Cong, Peng Jin Xing, Liang Feng, Feng Ze Hang, Wang Min Xia, Liu Yan, Weng Jia Lu, Xue Yu Shan, Tang Xian Hua and Lin To.
Lin To was confined at the Ospital ng Makati due to a gunshot wound in the hand and stomach after he attacked an NBI agent during a raid in Makati.
The 13 Taiwanese nationals arrested were identified as Liu Kue Yuan, Tsou Chi Feng, Fan Ming Fu, Wang Jun Shang, Zhuang Zhao Shan, Lih Chih Chang, Kwong In-Pin, Li Yuan Hsing, Lin In Chang, Li Shang Bin, Cheng Ho Yang, Cheng Ja Shang and Dei Yao Bin.
The suspects were turned over to the Bureau of Immigration before noontime yesterday for proper documentation.
“We are double-checking their names. We also want to establish if they are properly documented, and if they are facing other criminal cases. So the custody of the suspects is now with the Immigration,” Bacani said.
The NBI will then file appropriate charges against them including for violation of Section 8484 or Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998 before the Manila prosecutor’s office.
Bacani said they have not talked to the owners or caretakers of the safehouses raided by the NBI since they are not involved in the case and the suspects were mere lessees.
“But considering that they were renting houses in high-end villages like Ayala Alabang and posh condominium units in Makati and Parañaque City, you could just imagine how much they are getting from their operations,” he said.