MANILA, Philippines — Three Chinese nationals were arrested on Tuesday for reportedly abducting a Vietnamese tourist in Parañaque City, according to police.
In a report on Wednesday, the Southern Police District (SPD) said the three Chinese suspects, identified as alias Jun, 31, Hao, 27, and Zhang, 26, were arrested during a coordinated operation on August 6.
The victim Lang, 23, who works for a money exchange services business, was rescued in the same operation.
The authorities said the operation was initiated after receiving a report about a kidnapping incident in Barangay Tambo.
“On August 6, 2024, at about 12:20 a.m., she [Lang] was contacted by a Chinese national named Zhang through the Telegram online platform to meet at a condo residence in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City, to exchange Vietnam Dong for Philippine Peso,” the SPD said in a report.
Upon arrival at the location, police said the victim was accompanied by Jun to one of the units where she was threatened with a knife by Hao.
The operatives mentioned the suspects forcibly obtained the victim’s two cellphones and transferred her money — approximately P20 million — to another unknown account.
Furthermore, police said the suspects also allegedly stole Lang’s P300,000 and several pieces of jewelry worth P1 million from her condominium.
After looting her belongings, SPD said Lang was transferred to a residential resort in Barangay Tambo and was able to escape and seek help after she was left alone in the room.
Meanwhile, authorities have confiscated firearms, ammunition, cash, electronic devices, passports, a vehicle, suspected illegal drugs, and ecstasy tablets from the suspects.
They are now under police custody and will face complaints of robbery, grave coercion, illegal detention, and violations of the Republic Act (RA) 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002). — Arianne Denisse Cagsawa, INQUIRER.net intern
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