The Chinese rich man was torn to vote by a 26-year-old female devil! How could the second richest person in Asia become the "Kidnapping Capital"?

This article is reproduced from the WeChat public account: What’s happening in the UK

When it comes to the Philippines, the first impression that everyone may think of may be sunshine, islands, vacations, diving… The second richest country in Asia, which was once the richest in the sunshine, the dark side of its society is closely related to kidnapping crimes.

Guo Congyuan, known as the “King of Steel”, was kidnapped and torn off in the Philippines at the end of March. The kidnappers successively extorted a sky-high ransom of 210 million pesos (about 26 million yuan) and fled after ripping off the tickets.

In mid-May, the main suspect Gong Wenli was finally arrested. The police found that this person had committed a crime for the first time. She was involved in at least 15 kidnapping cases, and it was not an exaggeration to say that she was a “female devil”.

This news shocked the entire Filipino Chinese circle and also unveiled a corner of the huge black industry in the Philippines.

Criminal cases such as kidnapping and extortion are rare everywhere now, but the Philippines is an exception.

Chinese entrepreneur Guo Congyuan was born in Fujian and followed his relatives to Manila, Philippines at the age of 28.

In his early years, he dug out his first pot of gold by judging steel and started from scratch to found Elison Steel. His business empire involves food, real estate, mining, and breeding industries, and is a veritable “steel king” in the Philippines.

He is also enthusiastic about charity and has donated more than 20 million yuan to charity projects in his hometown.

In March this year, Guo Congyuan and his driver disappeared after attending a meal.

The kidnapper contacted the victim’s family through his mobile phone and successfully extorted a sky-high ransom in multiple times, with a total of about 210 million pesos.

Although the ransom was received, the kidnappers still tore up their votes. In early April, the police found the bodies of the two men on the roadside of Rodriguez, Rizal Province, with bruises on the faces.

In May, the main suspect Gong Wenli was arrested at a luxury resort in Boracay. There was also a hairdresser next to him. The police also found a simulated 3D mask at the scene.

Before Guo Congyuan was killed, two senior executives of Chinese medical equipment companies were kidnapped and killed in the Philippines last year.

The Chinese community has always been one of the main targets of kidnapping crimes.In 2014, 7 out of 10 victims were all Chinese.

The kidnappers’ goal is mainly to pay high ransom. Most of the Chinese in the Philippines have accumulated a certain amount of wealth through hard work.

The New York Times wrote that “Chinese people played a significant role in the growth of the Philippines…which made them targets for extortion.”

Take the 2024 Forbes list of the Philippines Rich List released by Forbes as an example. Half of the ten people are Chinese.

Although the Chinese population accounts for less than 2% of the total population of the Philippines, many high-income social elites have been born.

Chinese not only founded and built large shopping malls, chain fast food restaurants, and aviation industries in the Philippines, but also entered financial institutions such as banks. Chinese people are all present in all walks of life.

SM Mall, a large luxury shopping mall in the Philippines, was founded by Chinese entrepreneur Shi Zhicheng

The Chinese community was even called “hard workers and silent victims” by the Philippine media.

A person from a risk management company explained that this means that after being kidnapped, most Chinese people will not take the initiative to report the case or contact the media, and the payment will be quick.

Behind the wealthy and silent victim are countless broken families.

The crime of kidnapping cannot be cured, pointing to deeper structural problems and a gray industry that cannot be ignored, namely the gambling industry in the Philippines.

In 2001, Manila, Philippines, was called the “Asian kidnapping capital” by CNN because of frequent kidnapping cases.

The reality of the frequent kidnapping cases in the Philippines is poverty and poor public security.

In 2023, the per capita salary in the Philippines is US$301, about RMB 2,000. Some people live in graves and garbage dumps to make a living, eating leftover food from others.

However, in such a country, guns are very easy to obtain. In 2014, Filipinos held 3.9 million guns, about half of which were illegal, several times more guns than the state forces.

In such an environment, it is difficult to avoid those who illegally hold guns while falling into poverty and commit crimes.

In the Philippines, hiring a killer costs only $300, while hiring a private bodyguard is extremely expensive. As early as 20 years ago, security premiums reached between $2,500 and $3,000 per day.

Although Chinese people have made considerable contributions to the Philippines’ economic construction, they find it difficult to enjoy a safe and comfortable social environment.

The New York Times reported that in the 1990s, children from some Chinese Filipino families could get valuable mobile phones and were asked to call their homes every hour to ensure safety. If they didn’t call for an hour, parents would think their children had been kidnapped.

In the early days, the main kidnapping activities were organized in the Philippines, and the gradual kidnapping and extortion became their fixed “income-generating business.”

Some organizations will also choose to cooperate with “freelance” black-related people to commit crimes. What is scary is that there are still many Philippine police officers involved.

Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada once said: More than half of the people suspected of participating in the kidnapping are police or soldiers.

In June last year, the Philippines’ interior minister admitted at a press conference that four Philippine police officers were involved in a case of kidnapping and extortion of tourists, three of which were tourists from China.

The soil that breeds crime will also attract more kidnappers.

The police chief of Manila has said that in addition to local kidnappers in Manila, foreign kidnapping groups from India, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia are also operating in the Philippines.

Behind the kidnapping crimes in recent years, there is also the gambling industry.

The gambling industry in the Philippines is a complex industry that colludes between officials and businessmen. Former Philippine President Marcos established a regulatory company, and later gradually became a tool for many political and business people to make money.

Just look at the situation in Thailand or Myanmar, you can know that the gambling industry always symbiosis with industries such as telecommunications fraud.

In 2024, Philippine President Marcos issued an executive order, announcing a ban on the offshore gambling industry. In addition, the domestic crackdown on telecom fraud, this financial path was hit, and many people in the gambling industry turned to kidnapping and extortion to “create income” to make money.

In essence, the activities of lending and debt collection in the gambling industry are only a line of separation from kidnapping and extortion. The resources, tools and personnel qualifications required are very similar. Coupled with the corruption of law enforcement personnel, criminals are even more fearless.

Since the 1990s, the Philippine government has been trying to clear the reputation of the “Kidnapping Capital” to protect the local tourism industry, but most of them have little effect.

The reason why the kidnapping cases in the Philippines are repeatedly banned is that in addition to collusion between officials and businessmen to make money, it is also very insufficient in terms of legal deterrence.

Even cases where the criminal facts are clear and the suspect has been arrested may have been decades after leaving the judicial process.

In 2013, Chinese businessman Cai Shali was kidnapped and extorted. The police arrested a kidnapper on the spot, but the court did not announce the first-instance judgment until 2024.

Another large-scale kidnapping case involving 21 victims in 2000 will not be concluded until 2024.

The weak legal deterrence and the corruption of the police system, many Chinese people will not actively choose to call the police after being kidnapped because there are many resistances. With full evidence, Philippine police often delay filing a case for various reasons.

Several Chinese organizations have called for the Philippine government to carry out systematic reforms. The founder of the Philippine Public Security Campaign said, “The Philippine police anti-kidnapping team has become a springboard for promotion and personnel are constantly being replaced.”

Although dozens of Chinese organizations have cooperated with relevant Philippine law enforcement agencies due to the death of the “Iron King”, if you want to create a safer living environment, it is not something you can see in a short time.

It can only be said that the situation of Chinese people in the Philippines is indeed not easy, and they have been troubled by poor public security and police corruption for 20 or 30 years.

I hope the deceased will rest in peace. The Chinese in the Philippines can protect themselves. As ordinary tourists, please choose to travel to the Philippines carefully.