5 Chinese, Pinoy cohort nabbed over shooting incident

FIVE Chinese and a Filipino have been arrested by the police over their alleged involvement in a shooting incident last June 15 in Paranaque City that left two Chinese wounded.

Southern Police District Director Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Rosete said the six, who were apprehended last Sunday in separate locations, were identified by witnesses as having shot the victims, who are undergoing medical treatment at the Ospital ng Paranaque.

The victims were allegedly shot for their failure to pay loans secured from the suspects, who were lending cash to casino players.

Rosete identified the suspects as one alias Peng, 43; one alias Cheng, an alias Deng, one alias Tu, 42; one alias Liu, 34; and one alias Ken, the Filipino driver/bodyguard of the five Chinese.

Rosete said his men were conducting pursuit operations against two other Chinese and two more Filipinos involved in the attack.

“Several witnesses have come forward to assist in the investigation, providing crucial information,” the SPD chief said, adding these include residents of the building in Barangay Tambo where the victims and some of the suspects were residing; housekeeping staff, a security guard, and a vendor.

Footage taken by closed-circuit television cameras also helped the police identify the suspects.

CCTV footage showed four men entering a condominium unit on Roxas Boulevard in Barangay Tambo, with six later coming out of the unit.

Responding police officers found the two victims on the floor, shot on the lower part of their bodies.

Rosete said alias Peng and Deng were apprehended in follow-up operations in Pasay City while alias Cheng was arrested in Clark, Pampanga.

Seized from them were a .22 Magnum revolver, a 9mm pistol and bullets.

Rosete said his men also recovered from Ken a 9mm pistol, extra magazines, a cellular phone, and a motor vehicle.

“The investigation has identified alias Bo as the mastermind behind the incident. He was previously arrested by CIDG-SPD in December 2022 for other criminal activities,” Rosete added.

Complaints for violations of Republic Act10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and frustrated murder are being prepared against the suspects, who are