4 Chinese, 2 Pinoys nabbed for kidnapping

MANILA, Philippines — Four Chinese and two Filipinos were arrested for allegedly kidnapping another Chinese in Las Piñas on Wednesday, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday.

Jiang Zhi Chao, Han Yong, Shi Qi, Zhao Jian Wei, Christopher Belarmino and Darnel Volante were apprehended after their alleged victim sought assistance on Oct. 26, NBI officer-in-charge Eric Distor said.

The victim, accompanied by an interpreter, accused the suspects of detaining him in a house along Aurora Pijuan street in Barangay Talon Dos after he failed to pay his gambling debts to them.

He said he was freed after he was allowed to call his friends and was able to produce the money.

NBI counterterrorism operatives accompanied the victim to the house where he was detained and arrested the suspects.

They recovered a .40 caliber pistol and a .22 caliber Glock pistol, ammunition, a pair of handcuffs and assorted documents.

The operatives also rescued another Chinese, who had been detained in the house since Oct. 20, Distor said.

The second victim said he was repeatedly beaten after he quit his job at an online gambling firm at the Wanhe Building in Las Piñas when his employers failed to properly compensate him.

The victim said his boss, identified as Pang Zi, and Pang’s assistant Liang Zi beat him up and told him to call his relatives in China to come up with P240,000 in exchange for his passport.

The victim said that when he failed to produce the money, the suspects handcuffed him and took him to the house.

The suspects were charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention and are being held at the NBI’s detention facility.