National Bureau of Investigation agents arrested four Chinese nationals on Tuesday in Las Piñas City for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
The operation also resulted in the rescue of one Chinese national.
NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric Distor identified the four Chinese nationals as Jiang Zhi Chao, Han Yong, Shi Qi and Zhao Jian Wei.
The NBI also arrested two Filipinos: Christopher Belarmino and Darnel Volante.
Meanwhile, operatives of the NBI-Special Action Unit seized counterfeit Black Rhino Wheels with an estimated value of about P7 million.
In a statement on Friday, NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric Distor said the counterfeit Black Rhino Wheels were seized in an operation following a letter-complaint of Nicolas & De Vega Law Offices against the owners, managers, sellers and operators reported to be engaged in the sale or distribution of counterfeit wheels bearing the Black Rhino marks and trade name, and in violation of the rights of Just Wheels and Wheel Gallery protected under the Intellectual Property code of the Philippines.
On Oct. 26, someone filed a complaint for kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom, and was accompanied by NBI-CTD operatives to determine the exact place where he was detained and to identify the suspects who kidnapped and detained him.
The complainant was able to identify the house at No.51 Aurora Pijuan St., Brgy. Talon Dos, Las Piñas City. He also identified one of the suspects who kidnapped and detained him after he came out of the gate to throw out some garbage. He immediately informed the operatives about it, and operatives were instructed to rush to the house to arrest the suspects.
One Taurus .40cal pistol with one magazine and 11 rounds live .40cal ammunition, one Glock 22 with one magazine and 10 rounds with 10 rounds live .40cal ammunition, a pair of steel handcuffs and assorted IDs and documents were seized.
Aside from the suspects, another Chinese was found who claimed he was also a kidnap victim being detained there since Oct. 20.
He said that he worked at an online gambling firm at Wanhe Building, Vista Mall. However, he was not paid the proper wages and sometimes no wages at all, so he decided to quit and go back to China. But when he manifested his intention to resign, his boss and his assistants Pang Zi and Liang Zi asked him to first give P240,000 before they would give him his passport and be allowed to go home in China.
When he failed to produce the money, Liang Zi tied him up in their car and started hitting him with sticks together with another assistant, Xiao Yao. They brought and dragged him to the house where he was punched and kicked until he could not get up.
He was told he would stay in the house until the ransom was paid. He also saw the complainant in handcuffs being brought to the room where he was staying on Oct. 26, 2020 but was released the same day after paying the ransom.