Illegally detained Taiwanese nationals rescued

The National Bureau of Investigation on Sunday reported that its operatives from the NBI- Cebu District Office and NBI-Central Visayas Regional Office rescued eight Taiwanese nationals who were allegedly detained by their employer.

NBI-CEBDO agent-in-charge Arnel Pura told DAILY TRIBUNE that the rescue operation was based on the complaint lodged by a certain Glendelle Grace Salvador Nerviol for illegal detention of Chong Yi Wei who sent pictures that he was physically harmed.

Taiwanese national Dixon Zhang was identified as supervisor and one of the trusted men of their employer or "Boss," reportedly a Taiwanese national, too.

The rescued Taiwanese were identified Edison Lin; Yufeng Mountain; Wang Dongxin; Peter Wang; Zhang Ende, Wang Kai Cheng; Wan Tianhai and Chen Yee Chen.

NBI-CEBDO Special Investigator IV Bienvenido Panican disclosed that the victims had been illegally detained since 5 September 2023, adding that the NBI received information from the live-in partner of one of the Taiwanese nationals who had been unlawfully held by his employer for over two weeks.

Panican cited that NBI operatives conducted surveillance and finally rescued the detained Taiwanese nationals from a rented house at Paseo Eulala, Maria Luisa Park in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City.

Reports disclosed that these individuals were involved in an online shopping scam, targeting victims in Taiwan and China.

Cases for violation of Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code or serious illegal detention and violations of Republic Act 10591 or Illegal Possession of Firearms and Commission on Elections Resolution 10918 against Zhang and the Filipino driver-bodyguard identified as Ian Diabordo Naces.