Philippine police hunt Chinese suspect over Manila murder

MANILA (SCMP): Philippine police are hunting a Chinese suspect over a fatal shooting in Metro Manila that the country’s embassy has hinted may be linked to offshore gambling.

According to The Philippine Star, the shooting occurred on Thursday in a hotpot restaurant in the Makati district. The victim – a 29-year-old Chinese man – was dining with “acquaintances in a private room of the restaurant” when he was shot.

The report said closed circuit television footage showed the perpetrator, who is believed to be a Chinese national, firing four shots at close range “striking the victim in the hand, arm and chest”. The victim was pronounced dead after arriving at a nearby hospital.

A police captain told local media there was a “misunderstanding between the two”.

“The suspect got annoyed with the victim, whom he first met on Telegram to discuss about corn and rice supplies … We are looking at the angle that this could be business-related or due to a love triangle.”

According to the report, the police found bullets and bullet casings at the crime scene, and a manhunt for the Chinese suspect was under way.

The Chinese embassy did not offer details of the incident but said on Saturday that ensuring the safety and well-being of Chinese citizens in the Philippines was its top priority.

It also referred to a crackdown on Philippine offshore gaming operations (Pogos) without making a direct link to the case.

“Law enforcement cooperation is an important component of China-Philippines relations. It plays an irreplaceable role in ensuring the safety of life and property of people of both countries and promoting their well-being,” the embassy said.

“In the particular cooperation with the Philippines, we’d emphasise that the Chinese law prohibits any form of gambling. We welcome the Philippine decision to totally ban Pogos and crack down on Pogos still in operation and their relevant criminal activities. Since last July, approximately 140 Chinese nationals associated with Pogos have been repatriated under our collaboration.”

While ties between China and the Philippines have soured over clashes in the South China Sea, the two countries continue to cooperate on issues such as crime.

In July, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr ordered a ban on widespread online gaming operations which were mostly Chinese-run, a move that was welcomed by Beijing. There are believed to be more than 400 Chinese-run online gambling outfits across the Philippines, employing tens of thousands of Chinese and Southeast Asian nationals.

Just last week, Philippine authorities said they had arrested a Chinese national suspected of running an extensive network of criminal fronts in the country, calling him the “kingpin of the Pogos”. – SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST