Abducted Chinese freed after a week

MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese woman who was kidnapped by four of her compatriots on Dec. 9 in Makati City returned home on Sunday morning, her husband told the police in a text message.

Chen Tanbing, however, informed Maj. Gideon Ines Jr., chief of the Makati police investigation section, that his wife had no intention of pressing charges against her abductors.

In a text message sent at 11:54 p.m. on Sunday, Chen said that Zhou was back at their condominium unit in Makati City, which was just meters away from the area where she was kidnapped.

He did not give additional details, only saying that his 28-year-old wife could not be disturbed. She needed to rest and her mood “was very unstable,” he added.

Lawyer to talk to probers

Chen added that they would send a lawyer to the police station to talk to investigators.

Ines told reporters that he and other policemen went to the couple’s condominium unit to see if Zhou was indeed there.

Although they saw the victim, Ines expressed frustration over the couple’s refusal to cooperate with the police.

Aside from declining to talk about the kidnapping, the couple said they were not interested in any investigation and would no longer “hold anyone legally responsible.”

They also reiterated that their lawyer would be the one to talk to the police although as of Monday night, he had yet to show up at the Makati police station.

Despite this, Col. Rogelio Simon, city police chief, said they would “not be affected” by the couple’s noncooperation, stressing they would still file charges against the four Chinese nationals believed to be behind the kidnapping.

Police to pursue case

“The crime was consummated here in Makati. We will complete all the necessary documents so we can file a complaint against her abductors,” Simon added.

The suspects were identified as Guo Wanshun, Song Xifei, Guo Ebin and Zhang Xipeng. Like Zhou, they were also working in the country as Philippine offshore gaming operator service provider employees.

Investigators, however, were still trying to find out if both the victim and suspects work for the same employer.

The four suspects remain at large although Guo Wanshun was confirmed to have left the country on Dec. 12.

The police confirmed their identities after another Chinese, Xue Yongming, went to the police to say that he used to own the Chrysler Town and Country minivan — with fake license plate LSA 880 — used in the kidnapping.

Xue said he sold the vehicle to Guo Wanshun in October for P600,000 and the suspects were also renting his condominium unit in Pasay City.

The police, however, did not find the suspects in the unit during a follow-up operation on Friday. But they found several ID cards and passports belonging to the suspects, as well as handcuffs.

The police also went to another house being rented by Guo Wanshun at Multinational Village in Parañaque City, but failed to find the suspects there.

The police earlier said that Zhou’s kidnapping might be related to her work. Informants said she could have taken sensitive data from her employer who wanted it back.