THE three Chinese nationals who were abducted by their fellow countrymen decided not to push through with the filing of complaints.

The victims told the police they were afraid that their families in China would be targeted by a syndicate.

Police Regional Office-Central Visayas Director Albert Ignatius Ferro said they tried to convince the victims to press charges against suspects A Gui and Xiao Fan.

Brothers Xu, 29, and Xiang Qin, 30, of Guangxi region, and Sun Guo Dong, 21, of Sichuan province declined to issue a joint sworn statement. However, they requested for the deportation of the suspects, who were caught by the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) Visayas Field Unit in Lapu-Lapu City Thursday, March 5, 2020.

“We cannot force them to execute an affidavit. And if we would force them, it would be inadmissible because it’s against their will,” Police Brigadier General Ferro said.

Ferro said his office is coordinating with the Chinese Consular Office, which had sought the help of the police in rescuing the victims.

The police official said the Chinese Consular Office has the right to press charges against the suspects, who had demanded 170,000 Chinese yuan or P1.2 million for the release of the three kidnap victims.

Ferro earlier said the suspects could be members of a syndicate in China, and they possibly have connections with some Chinese nationals who had been involved in kidnapping incidents in Manila. (AYB/RSR)