Philippine police save kidnapped Chinese man in 53rd case of casino-related abductions

Bian Xiaoguo, from Shandong, was freed by the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group after his father complained to the Chinese consulate in Manila that he had been sent a video of his son being tortured and was told to pay a ransom of 300,000 yuan (US$42,500).

Pogos employ roughly 138,000 Chinese workers, according to a local media report.

Colonel Jonnel Estomo, who heads the anti-kidnapping group, told the South China Morning Post that to speed up the group’s rescue efforts, he had “put up a satellite office near the casinos because [national police headquarters] Camp Crame is too far. Because of the traffic, we were unable to respond fast.”