4 Chinese POGO employees rescued; 11 suspects nabbed in Pampanga

Operatives of the Philippine National Police—Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) rescued three Chinese employees of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator during an operation in Pampanga.

According to Mariz Umali’s report on “24 Oras,” the PNP-AKG conducted the rescue operation in Santa Cruz, Mexico, Pampanga on Wednesday after they received information from a former kidnap victim.

The former victim said three other Chinese nationals were kidnapped and confined at a safehouse.

During the raid on the safehouse, authorities found the three victims in handcuffs.

Two of the victims were husband and wife who had been confined since January 29 while the other was abducted on January 12.

Eight suspects were immediately arrested.

Based on the investigation of the PNP-AKG, the three POGO employees were looking to resign from their jobs, which authorities said was the reason for their kidnapping.

“Kung ano-anong kwan, ano-anong mga, ‘yung pinagbibintang sa kanila. Nagnakaw sila ng ganito, bayaran ng ganito,” Police Colonel Villaflor Bannawagan, the PNP-AKG Luzon Field Unit chief, said.

Results of the medico-examination showed that the victims had been physically harmed while detained.

Meanwhile, the eight suspects denied involvement in the kidnapping.

“Ako lang po ‘yung taga bili ng pagkain. Nagulat din po ako nung nalaman ko. Nagsisingi nga po na nakapag trabaho ako sa kanila,” a suspect said.

Meanwhile, former kidnap victim who provided authorities with the safehouse information was also a POGO employee who was rescued in a swab testing center in Quezon City.

She was rescued when authorities received a call from her guard, informing them that she has been missing since January 30.

The victim was allegedly kidnapped twice by the owner of the POGO. The first kidnapping occurred in November 2019 when she wanted to quit.

However, the case was dropped. The victim filed another case, which led to her second kidnapping.

“Nakulong ‘yung, ilang buwan na kulong ‘yung mga kwan, eh, nga suspects. Na perwisyo sila. Lahat na. Gumastos din sila ng malaki. Pag ganti,” Bannawagan said.

The three suspects in the case also denied involvement.

Meanwhile, all 11 suspects have undergone inquest. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News