<![CDATA[Two Chinese tourists kidnapped in Philippines after losing US$140,000 at Okada casino]>
Four more casino gamblers have been kidnapped in the Philippines, bringing the number of abductions since 2017 to 56, the country's anti-kidnapping police unit disclosed on Thursday.
Two of the victims were rescued on Tuesday after the Chinese tourists handed over 1 million yuan (US$140,500) to their kidnappers in exchange for the equivalent in casino chips.
The other two abductees, both Filipinos, were retrieved last Friday by the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group, according to its spokesman Elmer Cereno.
There have now been 55 kidnappings in the Philippines involving Chinese victims since 2017, Cereno said. Beijing has expressed concern over the abductions and has even asked Manila to ban online gambling, which has attracted large numbers of Chinese migrants in search of work in the booming industry.
The latest cases involved two Chinese holidaymakers named Li Ning and Yang Yang, who flew from China to Manila on August 30 and booked a room at the Okada Manila Resort and Casino in suburban Paranaque City.
The Philippines is experiencing a gambling boom. Photo: Shutterstock alt=The Philippines is experiencing a gambling boom. Photo: Shutterstock
Once there, Li met fellow Chinese travellers Deng Shiwu, 30, from Jiangxi province, and Ou Jianmin, 28, from Guangdong. Deng offered Li a free three-night stay in the Okada, courtesy, Deng claimed, of Suncity, a junket operator based in Macau which flies in gamers to various casinos in Manila.
But in exchange for the room, Li was told he would have to buy his casino chips through Deng and Ou. He had set aside 1 million as gambling funds and was ordered to send the entire sum to Deng through a banking app.
Li was allegedly handed his chips by Deng in Pit 95 at the casino, where Suncity runs junket services. Suncity's office at the Okada facility could not be reached for comment.
Li gambled away all the chips in just hours.
"Mr Deng then told them not to leave, instead trying to convince them to borrow money from the group," police quoted Li as saying.
But Li refused and went back to his complimentary room with Yang, only to wake in the night to find Deng asleep inside and blocking the door.
Sensing danger, Li phoned a friend in Beijing who contacted the hotel's front desk. Staff then alerted police, who rescued the pair and arrested Deng and Ou. The suspects were charged on Tuesday with kidnapping for ransom with serious illegal detention.
Chinese tourist Li Ning gambled away all his 1 million yuan worth of chips in just hours. Photo: AP alt=Chinese tourist Li Ning gambled away all his 1 million yuan worth of chips in just hours. Photo: AP
In the other case, Filipino businessman Eugenio Santos, 39, borrowed 2 million pesos (US$38,350) on September 4 from a loan shark to fund a buy-and-sell business in Quezon City. But he needed 300,000 pesos more so tried his luck at a casino. He lost the entire 2 million.
Unable to pay his debts, Santos was kidnapped on September 6 by his creditors, who, to his shock, had also snatched his friend Alvin Bangug.
Both men and their families were threatened with violence and their wives told they would have to hand over the land titles to their homes if they did not pay up. The wives, however, phoned police for help.
All six of the abductors were apprehended the same day, according to Lieutenant Colonel Villaflor Bannawagan, head of Luzon police's anti-kidnapping unit.
Last month the Chinese embassy in Manila issued a strongly worded statement decrying the "increase in crimes and social problems in China" caused by "the large number of Chinese citizens lured into illegal gambling" in the Philippines.
Gambling is banned across mainland China.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has rejected Chinese calls to ban gaming. Photo: AP alt=Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has rejected Chinese calls to ban gaming. Photo: AP
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte responded last Wednesday by saying he would not ban gaming in his country.
"I decided that we need it. Many will lose their jobs," he said.
But the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corporation (Pagcor), an industry regulator overseen by the Office of the President, issued a statement saying it would step up efforts to curb the ills caused by the business.
"Pagcor believes that while gaming contributes significantly to government revenues, it must not be used as a vehicle for abuse and injustices," the statement said.
"We condemn these dreadful acts and we will ensure the local gaming industry will maintain the integrity of its operations."
The agency also said its officials had met with the Philippine central bank and Securities and Exchange Commission to tighten controls on the flow of money in the industry. It would also work with police to enhance security measures at casinos, Pagcor added.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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