Twelve Chinese nationals and five Filipinos have been arrested for their alleged involvement in scamming activities and attempted bribery, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Tuesday, Jan. 14.

In a statement, the NBI said the suspects were arrested during a joint operation with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) inside the Aseana City in Paranaque City.

The arrested Chinese nationals were identified as Xu Chao, Meng Wei Shi, Xing Chao, Qin Hai Feng, Li Xiang Hua, Zhang Wei, Wang Qin Xiang, Wang Jia Fa, Jiang Qi Long, Luo Shang Fen, Qixin Wang, and Chen Jiang Song.

“The 12 Chinese nationals were presented for inquest proceedings before the City Prosecutor’s Office, Paranaque City, for Computer-Related Forgery under Section 4(b)(1) of RA 10175 otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012; Social Engineering Schemes under Section 4(b)(1), and Economic Sabotage under Section 4(c)(1) of R.A 12010 otherwise known as the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA) in relation to R.A. 10175,” the NBI said.

The arrested Filipinos were identified as Ezechiel Bernales, Robustiano Hizon, John Abunda Villanueva, Kristoffer Ryan Habelito Baguna, and Hanif Mala Bautil.

“The five Filipinos were presented for inquest proceedings before the City Prosecutor Office, Pasay City for Corruption of Public Officials under Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code,” the NBI said.

It said “the BI Officers were directed to conduct verification and investigation operation against foreign nationals found at RI RANCE CORPORATE CENTER II ASEANA CITY, Tambo, Paranaque City for violation of Philippine Immigration Act.”

“The active desktops present at the scene were examined in plain view by the NBI-CCD digital forensic agents which yielded positive to the presence of romance or love scam scripts, messaging applications with fictitious accounts, bank accounts, and fraudulent cryptocurrency scams, and fake investment schemes,” it also said.

Following the operation at the alleged scam hub, the NBI said Bernales approached NBI operatives who were told that “Subjects Wang Qin Xiang and Qixin Wang were offering to pay P300,000 for each arrested individual or a total of P3,600,000 in exchange for the release for the12 arrested Chinese nationals.”

“An entrapment operation was then hatched to arrest the persons who will bring the money,” it said.

The four other Filipinos were arrested during an entrapment operation at the parking lot of the NBI headquarters in Pasay City last Jan. 10 where a black eco bag containing P900,000 was seized, it added.