Four Chinese nationals, who were detained by their two fellow citizens and an Indonesians in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) office, were rescued by police operatives in Parañaque City on Thursday, April 28.
Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, Southern Police District (SPD) director, identified the rescued victims as Zhang Dedi, 26; Mo Jun Feng, 33; Chen Shi Ying, 25; and Huang Zhi Ping, 32.
Macaraeg said the suspects -- Henry Saputra, 33, an Indonesian; Jacky Chen, 25, and Luo Bo, 26, female, both Chinese nationals -- were arrested during the operation.
He said police investigators are still checking the real identities of the suspects as they believe that they are only using fictitious names.
The SPD chief said the victims were rescued at about 11:30 p.m. inside the First Great Palace Technologies at Pascor Drive, Barangay Santo Niño, Parañaque City.
Macaraeg said members of the Parañaque City Police launched the rescue operation after the live-in partner of Dedi, Yellah Monares, asked for police assistance and reported that the victim had been missing since March 31, this year.
Monares also told police that Dedi was able to call her, informing her that he was detained at a POGO office and forced to work without salary.
“Despite our warning, foreign nationals continue to get involved in unlawful detention incidents. It is high time that we strengthen collaboration with our foreign agency counterparts and intensify our intelligence gathering to diminish these scheming plans and address kidnapping/illegal detention incidents and other forms of lawlessness, particularly victimizing their compatriots,” Macaraeg said.
The arrested suspects were detained at the Parañaque City Police custodial facility. They were charged with serious illegal detention.