Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Nicolas Torre III confirmed Monday the rescue of two Chinese nationals and the arrest of four Chinese suspects in a kidnapping case in Parañaque City.

The rescue operation took place on Saturday, 2 August at a resort-casino.

During a press briefing, Torre detailed that a 30-year-old Chinese national was initially lured by the suspects, who offered to help him send money to China. The victim had sought assistance to transfer P150,000 for his mother’s medical treatment, already providing P100,000 and agreeing to meet the group at the resort to finalize the transaction.

While en route, the suspects allegedly handcuffed, blindfolded and threatened the victim with a gun. They then demanded P2.8 million for his release, attempting to force him to transfer 50,000 USDT from his cryptocurrency wallet.

The victim managed to convince his captors to return his phone, which he then used to secretly contact another Chinese national. This individual subsequently called 911, alerting authorities.

Parañaque City Police responded and coordinated with the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group for the rescue operation. Upon arrival, police found five individuals with the initial victim. One of the five, a woman, was identified as a second victim.

The woman told police she knew one of the suspects and had gone to the resort the same day to exchange money. However, her cash was taken, and she was not allowed to leave.