The kidnappers of the Chinese student allegedly belong to the “muscle group” of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), according to the head of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).
“Muscle group po yan but, of course, tinitingnan pa rin yan, ine-imbestigahan yan. Syempre iche-check pa yung mga involved (the kidnappers belong to the muscle group, but of course, we are still investigating and checking those who are involved),” PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said in an interview in Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.
LIVE sa DZBB: Usec. Gilbert Cruz, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director
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Cruz explained the muscle group is composed of retired military personnel hired by POGOs to kidnap, hurt, threaten, and kill people in exchange for money or their demands.
“Yan yung muscle nila. Pag may atraso sa POGO management, ito mag kikidnap sayo, ito-torture ka, ipakita yung video sa pamilya para magbayad ng atraso mo,” Cruz said.
(They function as their muscle who kidnap and torture people who they are forcing to pay them. They will show a video of the victim to their family to pay a ransom.)
The 14-year-old victim was kidnapped on February 20 after attending class at an international school in Taguig City. A few days after the incident, the driver of the student’s family was found dead.
Meanwhile, the victim was found on February 25 along Macapagal Boulevard in Parañaque City.
Authorities said Chinese fugitive Wang Dan Yu alias Bao Long was allegedly behind the kidnapping.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla also alleged that the slain driver conspired with the suspects.
The victim’s mother had denied their family’s involvement in POGO as their business is e-commerce and said the suspects targeted their driver in the abduction. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
