FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The viral video showing Chinese nationals stabbing and shooting each other was confirmed by the police to have happened two months ago, but they clarified that it was already a “cleared” case.
In a press conference on Tuesday night, Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said that the violent fight between Chinese nationals took place on July 22 at an apartment building in Barangay Don Galo, Parañaque City.
Two Chinese nationals were killed, identified as Zhang Xialong, 30, a resident of Sta. Mesa, Manila; and his bodyguard, Ziyu Meng, 30, a resident of Makati City.
“The appropriate complaint against the suspects was already referred to proper authority and with the identification of the majority of them, this case is considered as cleared,” Estomo told reporters. Under police parlance, a case is considered cleared if charges have been filed, but the suspects remain at large.
The police said that Xiaolong and his colleagues went to the house of a Chinese suspect known only as “alias King Aglubos Lee” to collect on a business obligation. The individuals were “linked to Pogos (Philippine offshore gaming operations),” according to a police source.
In the viral footage, one of the Chinese nationals pulls out a gun during an argument, prompting the others to respond with stabbings and gunfire.
1 of 21 suspects nabbed
Only one of the 21 suspects was arrested by the police.
Jeffrey Orlanes, 36, one of the bodyguards and a dismissed police officer, was arrested at a hospital in Pasay City, while he was being treated for a gunshot wound in his foot.
On July 22, a murder complaint was filed against Orlanes, four unnamed Chinese nationals, and 16 other Filipino nationals in the prosecutor’s office in Paraaque City. Of the 12 bodyguards named in the complaint, three were only known by their aliases, Kuya Pulis, Kuya Ramos, and Kuya Kuya.
The prosecutors, however, ordered the release of Orlanes for further investigation of the case. At present, the complaint is under the preliminary investigation process.
Estomo directed the Parañaque police and other police units to work on identifying the rest of the suspects.
“We assure the people that we will not allow the activities of lawless elements to prevail, especially foreigners doing crimes in our country,” he said.
“I directed our tracker teams to intensify their manhunt operations to put the at-large suspects behind bars and make sure that all those involved in this incident will suffer the consequences of their evil deeds,” the NCRPO chief added.
‘Destabilization’ attempt
While Estomo acknowledged the circulation of the video to help the investigation, the Parañaque police station called it a “destabilization” attempt against the police’s reputation.
“The act of initiating the circulation of such content through the social media is an apparent means of a group or individuals who malevolently intend to create panic and fear in the community. Such action insinuates clear motives to create distrust against our law enforcement agencies,” it said in a statement.
“[The police] will not yield from such [an] obvious destabilization movement of these individuals who clearly intend to weaken our resolve in addressing criminality in our jurisdiction,” it added.
The police are now investigating to identify the persons responsible for the circulation of the video.
Crackdown
For his part, Philippine National Police chief General Rodolfo Azurin ordered a crackdown on unauthorized security personnel in Pogo establishments and other industries that have become notorious for illegal activities and violence.
The action was taken to eliminate the risk of unauthorized gambling at Pogo and other gaming venues being aided by private security firms.
On Wednesday, he directed the PNP Civil Security Group (CSG) and police regional offices to conduct an inventory and accounting of all private protective agents providing security services as bodyguards to some VIPs, including foreigners engaged in business activities in the country, such as Pogos.
He also ordered the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA), under the PNP-CSG, to inspect all private security personnel performing security duties in all Pogo establishments in the country, including watchmen, security guards and protective agents.
As a general rule, licensed protective agents must be covered by special duty detail order (SDDO) from SOSIA, authorizing them to carry firearms and perform bodyguard duties for their protectees.
Protection agents must be covered by an authority to deploy protection agents (ADPA) issued by either the PNP chief or director for operations, valid for a year or six months, respectively, and an SSDO issued by SOSIA.
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