Nearly 300 Taiwanese deported, suspected of impersonating Chinese police

Philippine authorities on Wednesday deported nearly 300 Taiwanese arrested in a series of anti-cybercrime operations in Metro Manila and Rizal province last month. "By using the Internet, the group will call an unsuspecting victim in China to introduce themselves as members of the Chinese police. The suspects would then tell the victims that their bank accounts were being used for money laundering and other terrorist funding activities. The syndicate will then tell the victim to transfer their money to a 'safe account' that the suspects will provide, to which most of the victims have agreed out of fear of any action by 'police authorities' if they refuse to comply," a CIDG statement said.

 

Amid tight security, some 279 Taiwanese suspects were brought to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before dawn, radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported.

 

The Taiwanese, who had been detained in Laguna, were brought to the NAIA aboard at least five buses and arrived at the NAIA at about 3 a.m., according to an earlier report by dzBB's Rodil Vega.

 

The suspects were flown out of the Philippines aboard a China Airlines flight (Flight 273) 6:30 a.m., and an Eva Air flight (Flight 1727) at 6:45 a.m.

 

On the other hand, the other arrested suspects are to be deported later this week, the report quoted the Bureau of Immigration as saying.

 

Last August. the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission rounded up 357 Taiwanese and Chinese in an anti-cybercrime drive.

 

CIDG head Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said the arrested included two Filipino Chinese tagged as the financiers of the syndicate - Maria Luisa Tan and Jonson Tan Co. — RSJ/ HS, GMA News