The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation recently filed criminal charges against seven police officers and four others, alleging they were involved in a racketeering gang specifically targeting Chinese citizens. The suspects were suspected of posing as law enforcement officers, threatening with guns, robbing property, and extorting money on the grounds that the victims were illegally running a gambling business.
The persons involved were charged with kidnapping, extortion, robbery, extortion, impersonating a public official and exercising authority, etc. According to the investigation, the suspects were suspected of impersonating law enforcement officers, raiding relevant locations, robbing property and extorting money.
The case stemmed from an incident that occurred on October 21 at a farm resort in the town of Alfonso, Jamaica, Philippines. Supposedly, a group of armed personnel forcibly broke into the resort and threatened a Chinese businesswoman and her companions with guns, demanding 10 million pesos (approximately 1.2 million yuan).
The suspects were also suspected of stealing cash, jewelry, computers, and other valuable items worth about 2 million pesos (about 240,000 yuan). They also seized the victim‘s passport and demanded payment of 500,000 pesos (about 60,000 yuan) before returning it.
The victim then traveled to Manila accompanied by her husband to seek help from the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation.
The National Bureau of Investigation then launched a manhunt operation, first arresting two suspects in Manila, and then on October 28th arresting several suspects in the city of San Pablo, Inner Lake Province, including the suspected mastermind of the plot.
During the operation, law enforcement officers recovered firearms, ammunition, suspected forged law enforcement credentials, communication devices, and electronic devices suspected of having been stolen from the victims.
Currently, the National Bureau of Investigation is further investigating whether the gang has any links with other police officers, including the recent armed conflict that resulted in the deaths of five people in the city of Bacoao in the province of Jamidia.
SOURCE: Chinese Foreign Service, Philippines World Daily, etc.