FOUR unidentified suspects abducted a Chinese said to be involved in the operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in Bustos, Bulacan early morning last Sunday, a police official said yesterday.
Bulacan police provincial office director Col. Satur Ediong said it was a case of kidnapping for ransom and the investigation has been turned over to the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG).
Ediong said the victim and several Chinese companions were fishing in a river at Barangya Tibagan at around 1 a.m. Sunday when the suspects appeared, seized the victim, and fled.
Radio reports said the cousin of the victim received a text message, apparently from the suspects, demanding $300,000 in exchange for the victim’s freedom.
“It’s kidnap for ransom, that’s why we turned the case over to the AKG,” said Ediong.
“That is our SOP (standard operating procedure). If it’s kidnapping-for-ransom, it’s the AKG that should investigate because they have the technical capability to do it,” said Ediong.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, in a press briefing at Camp Crame, said the family of the victim paid P5 million in ransom last Sunday through a cryptocurrency platform.
Fajardo said the payment was made without the knowledge of the PNP.
“One of the challenges confronting the AKG is that the payment was done outside of the Philippine jurisdiction,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said the AKG is coordinating with the foreign counterparts “to trace where the P5 million, paid in two tranches, ended up.”
Fajardo said the victim was yet to be released as of yesterday.
Citing initial information gathered by the PNP, Fajardo said the victim is involved in the operation of an offshore gaming hub in the country.
“Based on the initial profiling, the victim is involved in POGO (operation). He is identified to be connected to POGO,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said they are still verifying if the victim’s companions were also involved in POGO operation.
Fajardo said two of the four suspects were armed with Armalite rifles.