Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti-Fraud Division arrested a Chinese national in Manila for selling COVID-19 vaccination slot amid relentless efforts against those who take advantage of the pandemic.
NBI Officer-In-Charg Director Eric Distor identified the suspect as Xiao Shi a.k.a. Feng Wang Qun.
Charges for Estafa under Article 315, Direct Assault under Article 148 and Disobedience of Lawful Orders of Persons in Authority under Article 151, all of the Revised Penal Code, were filed against the suspect before the Office of the City Prosecutor, Manila.
Distor said that the operation stemmed from a complainant who said that she was lured by the suspect to pay P18,000 in exchange for COVID-19 vaccination slot in Manila.
Suspect represented himself as a member of the Manila COVID-19 vaccination team and that he could secure a vaccination slot and inoculation for the complainant since he had the right connections with the Officials of Barangay 239 Binondo, Manila.
Believing suspect’s representation, complainant paid suspect P18,000 as consideration for her first dose of Covid 19 vaccine. Willie Casas
However, after payment, Subject became elusive and kept telling the complainant to just wait. This led complainant to conduct her own verifications and contrary to suspect’s representation, the latter is not an employee nor connected with Manila Covax Team. Complainant likewise discovered that Covid vaccination slot in Manila is free. Realizing she was scammed, complainant reported the matter to NBI-AFD.
During the probe, complainant averred that she was made to believe Subject’s representation as suspect showed proof of Chinese clients who got vaccinated through his assistance. On September 9, while at NBI-AFD, suspect called asking her if she was still interested to avail of Covid shot for an additional fee of P 5,000. She agreed for a meet up at a mall Manila at around 4:00pm of the same day.
After coordination with local police, NBI-AFD hatched an entrapment operation against suspect.
Operatives proceeded to a mall in Binondo, Manila and strategically positioned themselves within the vicinity. Suspect and complainant then met and went inside the Barangay Hall of Brgy. 239. While coming out of the hall, operatives approached the suspect.
The latter, becoming aware of the presence of the operatives, attempted to fight back. Subject attempted to disarm one of the operatives causing a scuffle and commotion in the area. Subject was eventually pinned down, pacified, and placed under arrest.
Recovered from suspect’s possession were the marked money handed to him by the complainant, a Covid vaccination ID of suspect bearing the name Qun F. Wang and two more Covid 19 vaccination ID bearing the names Cuiyin Lin and Wenjuan Yang and a sheet of paper bearing Chinese characters and listed amounts of money.
Suspect was brought to NBI-AFD office where he underwent standard booking procedures. Online verification conducted on the Covid Vaccination cards recovered from Shi’s possession showed that the QR Codes of the vaccination IDs are either tampered or non-existent with the exception of Wenjuan Yang showing that the latter is fully vaccinated.
In order to determine if suspect is indeed connected with the Manila Covax Team or has contacts with the barangay or the local health office, a follow up investigation/verification is on-going.