65 Chinese, Taiwanese, Pinoys nabbed for Internet swindling, cyber porn

MANILA, Philippines - At least 65 Chinese, Taiwanese and Filipinos have been rounded up in separate raids in Cavite, Las Piñas City and Cabanatuan City for allegedly engaging in Internet swindling and cyber pornography.

Elements of the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) of the Philippine National Police confiscated computers, communication hardware, and Internet equipment in the raids.

ACG director Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa said they first raided last week the house of a certain Catherine Chua in Imus, Cavite that resulted in the arrest of eight Chinese and eight Taiwanese.

Sosa said another raid on the house of one Antonio King and Jon Tan in Las Piñas City led to the arrest of 10 more Chinese and nine Taiwanese.

Sosa said the twin raids stemmed from the complaint of Jerry Chih-Yung Wang, executive assistant of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, about a syndicate victimizing prominent Taiwanese and Chinese in mainland China.

Sosa said the suspects were remnants of an international Internet swindling syndicate whose 375 members were arrested in August last year.

Sosa said the group would call unsuspecting victims in China, introduce themselves as Chinese authorities, and tell them that their bank accounts were being used for money laundering and terrorist funding.

The syndicate would then tell their victims to transfer their money to a “safe account” that the suspects would provide. The victims would do so for fear of any action from “police authorities” if they would refuse to comply.

Sosa said they also raided the offices of One Circle Business Process Outsource and WEBKEY in Cabanatuan City that led to the arrest of 30 Filipinos allegedly involved in cyber porn. 

Sosa said the Filipinos worked as call agents who introduced themselves using female aliases and enticed their foreign clients to register in a dating site.

Once registered, the foreign clients could select from such services as pornographic videos, live online sex, and live chatting.

Sosa said the suspects were charged with violations of Section (9), Republic Act 8484 (Access Devices Act of 1998), with those arrested in Cabanatuan City facing an additional charge for violation of Article 201, Revised Penal Code (Immoral Doctrines, Obscene Publications and Exhibitions and Indecent Shows).