Group of Transwomen ‘Warla Gang’ Arrested for Kidnapping Foreigners
Police arrested a group of transwomen called ‘Warla Gang’ for allegedly kidnapping foreigners to fund their beauty surgery.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group detained eight (8) members of the Warla Kidnapping Group. All of the group’s members that have been identified are transgender women.
According to the report, the police freed a 58-year-old Taiwanese citizen from the gang in their safe house in a Parañaque City subdivision. Four days later, he was freed, but only after the suspects had received P308,000 in ransom via an electronic wallet app.
The victim proceeded to the CIDG, which located the owners of the e-wallet accounts, with the aid of Charlie Wu, Taiwan’s police attaché in Manila. According to Col. Hansel Marantan, director of CIDG-National Capital Police Region, this led to the surrender of three individuals and the arrest of five others.
A.38-caliber revolver, two.22-caliber revolvers, and a 5.56 mm homemade rifle were taken from the gang members. Five other gang members are still at large, and the leader of the group, Mike Collado Ebol, also known by her transgender identity “Mikey,” is being sought.
The abduction syndicate was active in the Metro Manila region before their capture, especially in Taguig, Makati, Pasay, and Parañaque. The Warla Kidnapping Group has reportedly amassed 14 victims and a total of 4.2 million pesos in ransom money, claims CIDG Director Ronald Lee.
The thieves especially targeted Asian nationals—some of whom are businessmen and POGO employees—by using online dating apps to find new victims.
According to CIDG Director Ronald Lee, their plan involved luring victims from dating apps and websites to meet up with their attractive members, kidnapping them, taking them to their safe house, and demanding money before dumping the victims in arbitrary locations throughout Metro Manila after the ransom was paid.
Meanwhile, one of the members spoke with Jessica Soho in Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho (KMJS). The member disclosed that their gang’s “Mikey” boss will torture the victim before demanding a ransom. He employs them so that he can utilize the money he makes from the kidnapping to pay for the procedure that will give him female genitalia.
“Si Mike, marami na pong naparetoke. Yung pera niya po na ginagamit niya sa pagpaparetoke, galing sa kidnapping. Pati po mukha niya, napabago niya dahil sa modus operandi namin!” said the gang member.
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