2-7-2024 (BEIJING) In a case that has sparked diplomatic tensions, China has urgently called upon the Philippine authorities to swiftly investigate the murder of two Chinese nationals, one of whom was a Chinese citizen and the other a Chinese-American, who were kidnapped and tragically killed during a recent business trip to the Southeast Asian nation.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila issued a statement on Tuesday, revealing that it had been informed of the kidnapping a few days earlier and had promptly assisted the family in reporting the incident to the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Kidnapping Bureau. The embassy also intervened through diplomatic channels, requesting a rescue operation and measures to ensure the safety of the abducted individuals.
However, despite these efforts, the statement confirmed that both victims were eventually killed, although their identities have not been officially disclosed by the authorities. “We urge the Philippines to intensify efforts to investigate the case, capture and severely punish the murderers as soon as possible,” the Chinese Embassy stated, underscoring the gravity of the situation and demanding swift and decisive action from the Philippine authorities.
According to reports from Yicai Global, a financial news outlet under the Shanghai Media Group, citing an undisclosed source, one of the victims was an international marketing director at Raimed Medical Limited, a Hong Kong-listed company, while the other worked as a distributor for a cardiovascular medical device company. However, Raimed has not issued any official statement regarding the incident.
Further details emerged from Chinese media reports, indicating that the two individuals had traveled to the Philippines on a business trip around June 20th, but tragically, their lives were cut short on June 24th, after the family of one of the victims reportedly paid a ransom of 3 million yuan (approximately $412,600).
In response to this heinous crime, China’s ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, met with Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who also chairs the Presidential Commission on Anti-Organised Crime, to discuss joint efforts to combat kidnapping, murder, telecoms fraud, human trafficking, and crimes related to the offshore gaming industry in the Philippines. Both parties agreed to strengthen law enforcement cooperation to fight transnational crimes and enhance protections for people and properties in both countries.
The Philippines has witnessed several cases of Chinese citizens falling victim to kidnappings in recent years, with many incidents linked to illegal gambling, telecoms, and internet fraud operations. Just last month, four police officers assigned to the Philippine capital region were arrested for kidnapping three Chinese nationals and a Malaysian tourist for ransom.
In a particularly chilling case from the previous year, six Chinese nationals were abducted from their home in Manila, with four of them ultimately losing their lives, according to Philippine police reports. Authorities have acknowledged that most of the recorded kidnapping cases since January last year have targeted Chinese victims.
