PNP arrests 35 foreigners, 30 Pinoys in cybercrime rings

The Philippine National Police's Anti-Cybercrime Group arrested a total of 35 foreign nationals and 30 Filipinos in a series of raids on cybercrime rings in Metro Manila and other provinces last week.

According to Anti-Cybercrime Group Director Police Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa, government operatives raided the home of a certain Catherine Chua last August 6 in Imus, Cavite and arrested eight mainland Chinese and eight Taiwanese.

Sosa said arrested were: Chinese nationals You Shuang Zhang, 24; Hua Feng Lao, 26; Meimei Chen, 22; Juan Chen, 26; Ding You, 38; Bo Hu, 27; Yong Fan, 28; and Cheng Dian Mi, 39; and Taiwanese nationals Tung Hsuan Yu, 33; Ching Ming Liu, 31; Chih Sheng Chen, 25; Jun Rong Liao, 28; Chia Hsing Kuo, 35; Chia We Chen, 32; Hung Fu Lin, 32; and Ming Han Guo.

In a related raid at the residence of Antonio King and Jon Tan in Las Piñas City, police arrested 10 Chinese and 9 Taiwanese.

The Chinese nationals were identified as: Kaiyu Song, 30; Yaqiong Li, 18; Haiping Qui, 17; Shengdan Wang, 27; Zhang Cui Mei, 29; Qingsi Yuan, 45; Pengfei Qi, 24; Shuanjin Lu, 25; Xudong Zhang, 28; and Panle Cui.

The Taiwanese nationals were: Shih-Hsuan Fan, 31; Pin-Hao Yu-Hsiang Chen a.k.a. Chen, 24; Jun-Hsien Wu, 45; Ching-Yang Tang, 38; Lin-Chun Weng, 31; Wen-Chun Chen, 23; Chang-Lin Chao, 35; Chien-Wen Huang, 35; and Shu Chang Lin, 28.

Sosa said the raid stemmed from the complaint of Jerry Chih-Yung Wang, executive assistant of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO) against the syndicates engaged in victimizing prominent Taiwanese and mainland Chinese in China through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP).

Criminals use VOIP to call unsuspecting victims in China and introduce themselves as Chinese authorities.

"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 'police authorities' would do if they refuse to comply," he explained.

According to Sosa, suspects were charged for violations of Section (9), RA No. 8484 (Access Devices Act of 1998).

Seized from the two raids were assorted computer units, communication hardwares and internet equipment used in their illegal operations, he added.

Online dating, cyber pornography

In Cabanatuan City on August 9, police operatives conducted separate raids on call centers One Circle Business Process Outsource and Webkey for alleged online dating and cyber pornography.

At least 30 Filipino suspects were arrested. Police identified the suspects as: Mark Elvin Angeles, Julius Ceasar Cara, Ross Flores, Mario Tuddao, Redentor Ingal, Jerbie Cunanan, Jeffrey Ferrer, Vergelio Torres, Haxel Max Dizon, James Michael Lising, Leonard Henrick Solitario, Gerome Angeles, Keven Jeffrey Bayaua, Ederson Baby Esguerra, Rolando Carpio, Mary Joy Castillo, Paul Andrew Aquino, Jerico Carpio, Ricky Ibañez, Marvin Hipolito, Raymond Ingalla, Arnold Ringor, Juanito Carpio, Christopher Gonzales, Fernando Ramos, Clester Carpio, Arjay Millano, Edwin Santiago, Raymond Abuyan, and Jan Luigi Velasquez.

"The raided commercial establishments are involved in on-line fraud where call agents introduced themselves using female aliases and entice their foreign clients to register in a dating site. Once registered, foreign clients could select from services offered which includes pornographic videos, a live cam-to-cam sex and live chatting," said Sosa.

Sosa said suspects will face charges for violation of Article 201, Revised Penal Code (Immoral Doctrines, Obscene Publications and Exhibitions and Indecent Shows).

Seized from the two raids were several computers and internet equipment. — Amanda Fernandez/BM, GMA News