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9 Sinos ‘protected by influential officials’ questioned by cops on ‘manufacture’ of porn VCDs

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Police have placed under surveillance nine Chinese “businessmen” who were found in a Bulacan warehouse reportedly used to manufacture pornographic VCDs allegedly with protection from “some influential government officials in Bulacan and Metro Manila.”

Senior Supt. Lorenzo Eleazar, chief fo the Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit based at Camp Olivas here, identified the nine Chinese as Chen Yu Xin, Lin Hongming, Chien Zhibing, Yang Yipeng, Chen Guangliang, Xiao Xiangquilang, Chen Wufeng, Huang Junxiong and Liu Zhiqing.

He said the RCIDU “invited” them “for questioning” for their alleged involvement in the manufacture of the pornographic VCDs.

Eleazar said a “reliable informant” told the Bulacan Criminal Investigation and Detection team about the activities of a certain Lin King Wan alias Francis Lin, who was allegedly engaged in the manufacture of pornographic materials in a rented warehouse in Sitio Kabyawan, Barangay Banga 1st in Plaridel, Bulacan.

“The informant said (Lin) was protected by some influential government officials in Bulacan and Metro Manila,” Eleazar said.

He said a RCIDU team, in coordination with the Bulacan police under Senior Supt. Allen Bantolo, raided the warehouse based on four search warrants issued by Judge Evelyn Atienza Turla of the Palayan City, Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court Branch 40 for violation of Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code.

Police found out that a company called Alpha Plus International Enterprises Corp. was renting the warehouse.

The warehouse contained “various immovable properties” – a Guan Yinn GFS 1001, CD-DVD offset printer machine, four ST .50 disc machines, two Guann Yinn GBD-22 bonding machines, two Guan Yinn GCL-22 cooling machines, a GRAFMAC CD-DVD processing machine, and a waterless plater processor machine.

The machines were believed being used in the manufacture of pornographic materials, which, however, were not found during the raid.

“The raid was conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner in the presence of barangay tanods, media practitioners and one Alexander Caraig, who claimed to be a representative of the warehouse owner,” Eleazar said.

The raiders found the nine Chinese national in the warehouse, but they were able to present proper visas. Caraig also presented company documents.

“All the documents are still subject for verification for authenticity at the Bureau of Immigration, Department of Labor and Employment and the Optical Media Board,” Eleazar said.

Finding no prima facie evidence against the foreigners, police released them under the condition that they would “present themselves anytime as the circumstances warrant for further clarifications,” he added. -- RC