Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 20) — Authorities on Thursday presented 43 foreign nationals allegedly involved in a kidnap-for-ransom syndicate that targets foreigners hooked on casinos.
Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said the foreign suspects belong to a crime syndicate that targets Asian foreigners hooked on gambling.
“All of the arrested 43 suspects are part of a cell of a loan syndicate operating in entertainment city,” he said.
The suspects faced the media two days after they were arrested in an anti-kidnapping operation in Manila. Some of the Chinese nationals insisted they were not involved in the syndicate. They claim they can barely speak English, so they insist their innocence using hand signals.
The latest victim of the syndicate was a 48-year-old Singaporean woman who has been playing in a casino in Manila. She was rescued from a condo unit in Parañaque on July 18 where these suspects held her captive. The police did not provide other details about the victim, except that the incident has left her traumatized.
Police said the suspects, including two Malaysians, operated as a network of loan sharks. They lured potential victims, mostly casino high-rollers, into borrowing money for gambling.
“Kapag may nakitang natatalo, kinakaibigan, pinapautangan. Mas maraming utang, mas gusto nila… And then, kapag malaki na yung utang dun na nila tatakutin ang pamilya and binubugbog,” PNP Anti-Kidnapping Chief Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao said.
[Translation: They lend money to those who are losing. The more money borrowed, the better. Once the loan piles up, they will threaten and harm the families.]
The suspects are facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges. Their leader, identified as Chen Deqin, remains at-large.
Since 2015, close to a dozen similar cases were reported to the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group. Most of the victims gave in to ransom demands.
“We were able to rescue Chinese victim Wang Yang who was held again by a separate cell,” Dumlao said.
Authorities said there is a second syndicate also into the same modus operandi. The group led by a Ah-Wing Zhang is now a subject of a police manhunt.
Operators of casinos and exclusive gambling clubs said they have banned loan sharks and financiers following the order issued by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
The shooting attack in Resorts World Manila on June 2 also prompted casino management to tighten security and work closely with authorities.
“Alam naman nila na pag bigyan ng masamang impression yung gambling industry or gaming industry dito sa Pilipinas, apektado din sila, so as much as possible they cooperate with us para maganda ang takbo ng negosyo,” he said.
[Translation: They know that a bad image would hurt the gambling industry, which in turn would affect them.]
