Kidnapped Chinese student reunites with family; DILG's Remulla says case is POGO-related
A 14-year-old Chinese student, who was reported missing after attending an event at an exclusive school in Taguig City, was found abandoned along Macapagal Avenue in Parañaque City.
According to the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG), the Chinese student surfaced in the evening on Feb. 25. The student was immediately returned to his family and brought to the nearest hospital for further medical examination.
Authorities said no ransom was paid, but Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the suspects initially asked for $20 million.
Col. Elmer Ragay, the newly designated acting director of PNP-AKG, said they have identities they are currently tracking.
'Ito ay resulta ng POGO'
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 26, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that the recent kidnapping case is related to a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO).
“Ito ay resulta ng POGO. We suspect na ang biktima ay galing sa pamilya na nag-ooperate ng POGO dati," he said. "We are definite na ang sindikato na nasa likod ng kidnapping ay former operators ng POGO din."
Remulla added that he is "definite" that the perpetrators used former bodyguards who are no longer in service with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.
Remulla added, "We are sure that the syndicate is still here in the country. We will make sure that they will be neutralized at the soonest possible time."
When asked about the motive of the kidnappers, the DILG chief said, "It's just money. There's no revenge. Crime syndicate lang talaga."
It was on Feb. 20 at 3:45 p.m. when the child was considered a missing person. Remulla said that it was assumed to be a kidnapped case.
The day after, the driver of the said child was found murdered inside a vehicle in San Rafael, Bulacan.
Authorities found information and evidence on the vehicle about the syndicate including images, conversations, cellphone numbers, strategies, and cases of how they do the job.
Ragay said abductors were in a "hurry" when they left the said evidence.
It was on Feb. 25, when PNP-AKG yielded positive results on the evidence inside the vehicle where the murdered driver was found, including the signal of the cellphone used by the abductors. Early in the afternoon on the same day, the signal was detected. Through this, the authorities started an operation.
At around 8 p.m., PNP-AKG went in pursuit of the detected cellphone signal. A few minutes later, they found a child wearing pajamas along the road.
As per Remulla, they found him with a severed finger while noting that authorities chose to secure the child rather than go after the vehicle.
"Nakita yung bata ay pinutulan ng daliri mula sa kanan. 'Yung bata ay matapang, 'di siya umiiyak," Remulla said, adding that the rescued child is now "safe, secured and relatively healthy."
'Foreigner against foreigner'
The PNP has logged eight kidnapping cases in the country in 2025, five of which have been resolved.
According to Remulla, these cases were rooted in a "foreigner against foreigner" feud. He also clarified that the masterminds of these cases are not Filipinos.
"Sa nakikita namin it always foreign against foreigner. Walang mastermind na Pilipino sa krimen na ito. Again, [ayon] sa matrix naming nahanap, ito ay resulta ng POGO operations dito simula 2016 na nagkaroon sila ng lucrative means of livelihood," he told the media.
Remulla added, "Since tinanggal sila dito, naiwan ang iba, dito na nila pinasok. Nag-rise up 'to nung January pagtapos ipasara lahat ng POGO, dito naman pumasok sila sa kidnapping."
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered an "immediate ban" on POGOs in November 2024. This promise to cease all illegal offshore gaming operations, license applications, and license renewals during his third state of the nation address.
