To boost coordination in fighting crimes that transcend international borders, the Philippine National Police launched a Chinese help desk in Binondo, Manila on Tuesday, the PNP reported yesterday.
Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said the Chinese help desk is a vital mechanism to strengthen the campaign against transnational crimes, such as kidnapping, scamming and other illegal activities linked to organized international crime groups.
‘Through this desk, we can respond swiftly and effectively to incidents involving Chinese nationals while maintaining full respect for our laws and due process,’ Nartatez said in a statement.
‘This is not aimed to protect just one group of people, but to provide security to everyone, be they Filipinos or foreigners, against criminality,’ Nartatez said in Filipino.
According to the Chinese embassy, 27 of their nationals are listed as missing in the country.
Law enforcement agencies are cross-matching the list with their own intelligence databases to determine the status and possible location of the missing Chinese.
The launch of the help desk was attended by Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission executive director Benjamin Acorda Jr. as well as by PNP and Chinese embassy officials.