Police rescued on Friday a Chinese man from his eight abductors, including his girlfriend, who detained and robbed him inside a spa in Quezon City.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said the abductors—Jaypee Mangalindan, 22; Ralph Garma, 29; Rustom Laurencio, 22; Realan Labto, 33; Glenn Garcia, 26; Joel Mariano, 35; Carlo Villador; and July Monterde, 20, the victim's girlfriend—were arrested during the rescue operation.
The suspects were accused of robbing Chinese national Qin Zhi Xuan of cash amounting to 20,000 renminbi or around P155,000 and demanding a ransom from his family worth 60,000 renminbi or around P464,000, police said.
The suspects detained, blindfolded and hogtied the victim before robbing him inside a spa on Samat Road in Barangay Holy Spirit starting 8 p.m. of Thursday until 4:30 a.m. the next day, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bilaro, commander of Holy Spirit Police Station, said.
Prior to the incident, Monterde met him at a nearby barbeque shop before the other suspects abducted him using a hatchback vehicle.
Bilaro added the suspects asked for a ransom from Qin's family in China, which they eventually received through an online banking system.
Operatives of the Holy Spirit Police Station managed to rescue Qin after receiving a tip from an informant.
They also seized a loaded firearm from Laurencio during the operation.
The suspects are now facing illegal detention and robbery extortion charges.
Laurencio is also facing an additional charge for the violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.