SINGAPORE: China is urging the Philippines to swiftly catch and “severely punish” the killers of a Chinese citizen in a kidnapping case that prompted a diplomatic intervention by Beijing.
In a statement on Tuesday (Jul 2), the Chinese embassy in the Philippines said it recently received an appeal for assistance over the kidnapping of a Chinese national in the Southeast Asian country.
The embassy said it immediately assisted the victim’s family in reporting the case to the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Kidnapping Group and cooperated with domestic authorities in law enforcement.
It also intervened through diplomatic channels to ask for a swift rescue, and to ensure the safety and rights of Chinese nationals in the country. At the same time, the embassy helped the victim’s family to head to the Philippines.
But the person was eventually killed, reportedly along with a Chinese-American who had also been kidnapped, the embassy said. Both have yet to be identified.
Chinese media outlet Hongxing News reported that both individuals were senior executives at two different Chinese medical device companies. They reportedly arrived in the Philippines on Jun 20 to seek business opportunities but were kidnapped and killed on Jun 24.
The embassy said in its Tuesday statement that it has been providing consular assistance to the family. It has also made representations to the Philippine government, urging it to step up efforts in handling the case, and to “swiftly apprehend and punish the killers”.
The embassy also reminded Chinese citizens to be aware of their safety when visiting the Philippines and to immediately contact itself and local authorities for help in the case of an emergency.
Philippine authorities have yet to comment on the incident.
When asked about the case during a daily press conference on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said her ministry would “provide instructions to our embassy in Manila to closely follow up on the case and make sure everything is properly handled”.
There have been recent cases of Chinese nationals being kidnapped in the Philippines. Most such cases have been related to illegal gambling, as well as telecom and internet fraud, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
In early June, four Philippine police officers were arrested for abducting four foreigners – three Chinese nationals and a Malaysian – in Manila for ransom.
According to news reports, the four foreign tourists were riding in a car when it was flagged down by officers riding a motorcycle. A group of armed men then dragged them into a van.
Two of the tourists managed to escape and notified the authorities. The other two were freed overnight after the payment of a 2.5 million Philippine peso (US$42,565) ransom.
In October 2023, six Chinese nationals were abducted from their home in Metro Manila. Four were killed and the other two – a woman and her child – remain missing, reported SCMP.
