Pasay cops bust casino kidnap gang

MANILA, Philippines - Pasay City police officers have arrested four members of a kidnap gang who held a Chinese tourist hostage at a motel for failing to pay his debt to a casino amounting to P2 million.

Shang Pang Wa, 34, was rescued from the Queensland motel along F.B. Harrison street on Sunday, city police chief Senior Superintendent Florencio Ortilla said.

He identified the arrested suspects as Richard Eloriaga, Christopher Esperat, Roel Fausto and Daniel Ren, a Chinese.

According to initial reports, Shang was kidnapped as he was leaving a casino Friday night.

“It appears that the victim incurred heavy casino debt from the kidnappers,” Ortilla said.

At around 8 a.m. Sunday, the kidnappers sent a text message to one of Shang’s friends, demanding ransom, but the friend went to the police.

The suspects told investigators they were ordered to keep an eye on Shang by another Chinese, to whom the victim allegedly owed money.

Ortilla declined to give more details on the kidnapping, saying that there is an ongoing follow-up operation to arrest other members of the kidnap gang.

Southern Police District director Chief Superintendent Jose Erwin Villacorte ordered a deeper investigation. “There could be other motives for the kidnapping aside from the alleged debt,” he said.