Chinese ‘assassin’ framed by cops – witness

MANILA, Philippines - A Chinese arrested after police discovered high-powered guns, grenades and other weapons in his car at the Resorts World Manila was reportedly framed by two police officers moonlighting as bodyguards of a Hong Kong-based gambling financier operating in the country, according to an eyewitness.

The witness, a retired military intelligence agent, said he was entering the VIP basement parking area from the ground floor when he saw two men ganging up on a man, who later turned out to be Jerry Sy, a casino player who has been in the country for the past seven years, after midnight on Dec. 26.

Sy was earlier described by Pasay police investigators as a suspected enforcer or assassin for a casino syndicate because of the weapons found in his car.

The witness said that when he asked the two men why they were beating up Sy, they told him they were just trying to prevent Sy from stabbing their boss, Joseph Ang, a casino financier at the Resorts World Manila.

Ang’s two bodyguards reportedly turned out to be policemen from Bulacan, one active and the other retired. This is reportedly the subject of a separate investigation by the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame.

Gathered guns

The witness also said the guns, C-4 and grenades seized by the Pasay police were recovered from two cars and not just one, contrary to the official report.

“The explosives were recovered inside the trunk of another car parked about 100 meters away from the first car where the guns were recovered,” the witness  said.

To prove his claim, he showed The STAR pictures of the two cars while parked on both ends of the VIP basement parking area searched by the responding Pasay City policemen, led by Senior Inspector Vicente Barrameda.

He also recounted that before the Pasay City policemen could search the second car, he overheard Ang’s bodyguards telling the Pasay City police officers that the car was laden with explosives.

When it was finally opened, four grenades were in backseat and when its trunk was opened the police found a bag inside.

“But before the bag could be inspected by the police, Ang’s bodyguard again cautioned the Pasay City police to go easy in their inspection as the bag contained C-4. How come they have prior knowledge of what’s inside the vehicle? One of the Pasay cops even turned to Ang’s bodyguards asking them why they knew the content of bag,” the witness said.

The first car was where a 9mm Glock pistol, a .22 caliber Bersa Ramos Mejia pistol with a magazine, a .380 caliber pistol, a 22 caliber Beretta with an attached silencer, two other silencers, a 9mm pistol with a loaded extended magazine were seized. The car is owned by an acquaintance of Sy, the witness said.

Fighting over P3-M wristwatch

Apparently, the witness said, Sy only borrowed the car and encountered Ang and his bodyguards when he went down to the VIP basement parking area to drive the vehicle out of the compound.

An altercation ensued as Sy has been reportedly trying to redeem a P3-million Rolex watch he pawned to Ang for P500,000 after he ran out of cash while playing at the casino.

“Sy and Ang have been at odds because despite payment of Sy’s casino loan including interest, Ang failed to return his Rolex watch,” the witness said.

Ang reportedly sold the watch despite receiving Sy’s payment on the loan.

Sy is being held at the Pasay City police headquarters on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.