Two Chinese men were killed in a shootout with Philippines police last Thursday after kidnapping three fellow nationals in a POGO-related bribery scheme.
According to local media reports, the shootout began last Thursday morning after Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) and Angeles City police tracked down the van used in the kidnapping in Angeles City. Both suspects were killed at the scene while one officer was taken to hospital after being shot in the foot.
The two men were part of a larger group the PNP-AKG said had lured the Chinese nationals with the promise of jobs with a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO). Instead, the trio was detained and ordered to pay a ransom for their release.
“They were hired to work for a POGO but there was deceit. They were not given the jobs as casino dealers as promised,” said Police Major Ronaldo Lumactod Jr. “As the victims thought they were deceived, they resisted. They were then ordered to pay a ransom through their families in China.”
The victims were rescued and two suspects arrested on 1 June 2020 at which time the presence of the other two accomplices was revealed and a follow-up investigation instigated.
As previously reported by Inside Asian Gaming, gambling-related kidnappings have been on the rise in the Philippines in recent years with a total of 73 cases in the past three years as of March 2020.
The number has risen from 17 casino-related kidnapping incidents in 2017 and 16 cases in 2018 to 38 cases in 2019.
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