5 Chinese citizens rescued from alleged abductor

INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Five Chinese citizens were rescued from their alleged abductor in a condominium in Manila early Wednesday morning, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said.

In a report, the NCRPO identified the 23-year-old suspect as Qiu Tian, who was apprehended during a police operation conducted between 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. along Sta. Monica Street in Ermita.

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According to the NCRPO, they received and responded to a complaint from one of the victims’ partners, detailing how the five were reportedly held against their will, physically abused, and forced to work in an alleged scam operation.

The victims — Peng Xiao, 31; Wang Saixia, 39; Yang Longtao, 29; Ning Guobin, 32; and Kang Lei, 35 — were found in a room on the 32nd floor of the condominium complex and “displayed visible signs of distress and physical abuse.”

The victims and the suspect are currently under police custody pending investigation. Further immigration verification is now underway in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration, police said.