Building officials face raps for preventing police probe

MANILA, Philippines — The Makati City police will file charges of illegal detention and obstruction of justice against building officials in Parañaque City who reportedly stopped them from investigating an alleged kidnapping.

Maj. Gideon Ines, Makati police investigation section chief, said the case would be filed today in the city prosecutor’s office against officials of Pearl Plaza building on Quirino Avenue.

The building hosts offices of Chinese-run Philippine offshore gaming operators, among other companies.

Ines said he and four other investigators were held for an hour inside the building as they were checking a report that 23-year-old Yuan Giao, a Chinese man who was reportedly kidnapped outside his hotel in Makati City on Aug. 22, had been brought there. A witness said Yuan was pushed into a Toyota Hiace van.

Ines said that they traced the van to Dong Fang Co., a Chinese online gaming company where Yuan worked.

Around 10 p.m. on Aug. 23, Ines and his men, who were in civilian clothes and unarmed, went to the company’s office in the Parañaque building.

Tense situation

“But two of the security personnel of the mall questioned the legitimacy of our work,” Ines said. “Instead of cooperating, one of the security personnel pushed one of my investigators, while another was about to draw his firearm.”

The policemen were allowed to leave only after other building officials and Parañaque policemen stepped in.

As of Monday afternoon, Ines said Yuan, who denied he was kidnapped, had been turned over by building officials to the Makati police.