6 Chinese ‘loan sharks’ held in Laguna for ‘abduction’

SAN PEDRO CITY — Six Chinese nationals were arrested for allegedly abducting and threatening to harm another Chinese national in a resort in Calamba City in Laguna province.

Sr. Inspector Jojo Sabeniano, Laguna police spokesperson, on Sunday, said the suspects turned out to be members of a syndicate that loaned money for casino gambling in Metro Manila.

“They were members of this Chinese loan shark gang,” Sabeniano said of the suspects.

In a phone interview, Sabeniano said the police rescued Edison Yen, 32, a native of Shanghai China, from a private resort in Barangay Pansol around 11 p.m. Saturday.

This was after a concerned citizen tipped off the police after the victim was heard “screaming” from the resort’s room where he was held by the group.

Yen told the police that he was abducted from Makati City around 1 a.m. on Saturday.

The suspects then took him to Laguna and began to demand ransom from his family.

Police identified the suspects as Xin Wang, 30; Sun Quing, 26; Hong Zhong Ah, 38; Yang Ben, 24; Zhao Da Hai,40; and Si Xian,42.

Except for Xin, who was from Shenxi, the rest were natives of Fujian, police said.

Quoting investigators, Sabeniano said the group offered Yen money to play in a casino in Metro Manila.

“If (the victim) won, (the suspects would) get the money. If he lost, he was forced to pay (them back) with interest,” Sabeniano added.

Police, however, did not disclose how much Yen owed the group, as investigation continued.

Last week, authorities also rescued Chinese-Australian Chen Jianting from his Chinese abductors in Makati City, while Chinese Zhu Yan Qing was rescued in Parañaque City in December 2018.

Authorities said the suspects in both incidents were also casino loan sharks.