Philippine police kill 4 Chinese kidnap suspects, rescue businessman

Police killed four Chinese kidnap-for-ransom gang members in a central Philippines shootout and rescued a 70-year-old Chinese businessman who was held captive by them for several days, authorities said Tuesday. 

The businessman, identified as Lyu Xingou, a Chinese national from Fujian province, was forcibly taken by the suspects from his garage in the village of Bangkal in the central city of Lapu-Lapu, said  Brig. Gen. Rudolph Dimas, director of the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG). The state-run Philippine News Agency reported that the abduction occurred on May 25.

The suspects then contacted the victim’s son, Lyu Xicia, who was in China, and demanded 1 billion Chinese renminbi (U.S. $150,000) in ransom, he said, adding the family paid 500,000 renminbi ($74,940). 

Officers used a mobile phone to track down the suspects, Dimas said. 

“Through their number, we were able to locate the safe house of the group. As the operatives were about to enter the house, a firefight ensued that led to the death of the suspects and the safe rescue of the victim,” Dimas said in a statement. 

Abductions blamed on Chinese criminal gangs preying on their compatriots have risen in the Philippines since 2016, when President Rodrigo Duterte took office and encouraged more Chinese investments and tourists to come to the country. Duterte will be leaving office at the end of June due to term limits.

Dimas identified those killed in the latest case as Jinming Gong, Yiping You, Fengqiang Li, and Heng Lin, all Chinese nationals. After the shootout, police recovered four short firearms, ammunition, a laptop, six cellular phones, cash and personal belongings.

Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard Chan, who inspected the house, said the captive appeared to be in good health although he was in shock.

“We rescued the victim unharmed,” Chan told reporters. 

History of abductions

In January 2021, police apprehended eight members of a Chinese kidnap-for-ransom gang in San Pedro, a town just south of Manila.

One of the suspects was identified as Qun Den, believed to be a leader of the Xiaopen-Nanlu Chinese kidnap-for-ransom gang which has been known to operate locally and target members of the Chinese expatriate community employed in online casinos.

While the number of Chinese nationals coming into the Philippines has dropped over the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 150,000 Chinese nationals are employed in the gaming industry in the country that cater to fellow countrymen.