Taiwanese robbed, found wandering in Valenzuela

MANILA, Philippines -  Police found a Taiwanese in Valenzuela who claims that he has been wandering around the city for several days after being robbed in Binondo, Manila.

Senior Superintendent Eric Serafin Reyes identified the Taiwanese as Huang Tien-liang, 54. Through an interpreter, police learned from Huang that he was robbed in Binondo, where he lost his passport. A Philippine Air Lines boarding pass found on Huang showed that he traveled from Xiamen in China to Manila on Dec. 20, 2010.

Police said a mobile patrol team chanced upon Huang at around 9 a.m. yesterday walking along MacArthur Highway in Karuhatan. As Huang did not speak English or Filipino, he was taken to the police station. Investigators asked businessman Jayson Tan to act as interpreter and assist them during the investigation.

Huang said he arrived in Manila on Dec. 20, 2010 and was fetched at the airport by a friend he identified as Tsih Mae. He said he was in the country for the second time to buy merchandise he intended to sell in Taiwan.

He said he was billeted in a hotel in Manila but told police he cannot remember the name of the hotel nor its location. He also did not have his friend Tsih Mae’s contact numbers, he added.

Huang told police that on Feb. 18, between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., he left the hotel looking for a casino to kill time as he was leaving the next day. While walking along Ongpin street in Binondo, two men on a motorcycle allegedly robbed him at knifepoint and took his bag, which contained his wallet, passport and other belongings.

Huang said he lost his way going back to the hotel and wandered for several days until he found his way to Valenzuela, some 15 kilometers north.

Reyes said he directed Police Officer 3 Dalton Rodriguez to bring Huang to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.