Suspects in kidnapping of Chinese woman arrested

Two men suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of undocumented Chinese women in the Philippines have been arrested after authorities tracked their location through a rental car used in a recent abduction.

According to the Manila Police District, the suspects were apprehended at a resthouse that had been used as the setting for a ransom "proof of life" video involving a kidnapped Chinese woman. They are set to face charges of kidnapping and carnapping.

The latest victim, a 41-year-old Chinese national, was last seen in CCTV footage leaving a hotel in Malate, Manila, around 11 p.m. on April 17.

She boarded a red sedan, believing she was meeting someone she had connected with online.

Police said the vehicle was driven by a Taiwanese national, accompanied by a Filipino and another Chinese individual.

The group took the victim to a resthouse in Tagaytay City, where she was blindfolded and beaten. Her ransom video, reportedly recorded on April 20, was sent to a coworker.

“Iha-harass nila ito, sasaktan, at ilalabas ‘yung mga available funds or money na nasa kanila,” said MPD Station 9 commander Police Lt. Col. Alfonso Galigumba III in Jhomer Apresto's Sunday 24 Oras Weekend report.

(They harass and hurt the victims to force them to release whatever available funds they have.)

“Sinasabi niya nun is sinusuntok siya, itinali siya, tinakot, piniringan, pinagbantaan,” added MPD Intelligence Division chief Police Lt. Col. John Guiagui.

(She said she was punched, tied up, blindfolded, and threatened.)

Authorities said the kidnappers managed to collect approximately P650,000 before releasing the victim at a mall in Parañaque City on April 21.

They also took a luxury vehicle from the victim's workplace, which has since been recovered.

Investigators tracked the suspects using the GPS service installed in the red sedan — a rental car.

This led authorities to the resthouse where the victim had been held.

There, a Filipino suspect was arrested. The Taiwanese suspect was later apprehended in Pasay City.

“‘Yun lang po ‘yung ginagawa namin is drive lang po,” a suspect said during questioning.

(All we did was drive.)

“Ang nakuha ko lang po, ang nabigay lang ho sa akin, 5k lang ho,” said the other suspect.

(I only received P5,000.)

Police revealed that the scheme's mastermind was a Chinese national currently incarcerated and who was previously linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), which have been outlawed in the country.

Authorities are now pursuing two more suspects: one Chinese and one Filipino. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA Integrated News