Police Call TIP Victims In The Philippines 239 People

Head Of Public Relations Division Of The National Police, Kombes Nurul Azizah/DOK PHOTO: Rizky Adytia-VOI

JAKARTA - The National Police said that there were additional Indonesian citizens (WNI) involved in cases of international network scamming syndicates and criminal acts of trafficking in persons (TPPO) in the Philippines. For now, the total is 239 people.

From the previous verification results, it was stated that the number of Indonesian citizens involved was around 154 people.

"After verification until earlier, 239 people were given information," said Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Public Relations Division Kombes Nurul Azizah to reporters, Thursday, May 11.

The addition was from the number of victims and witnesses. Now, 224 people are suspected of being victims of the scamming syndicate. While the rest are witnesses and suspects.

"The suspect initially had 2 (the number, ed). The witness was originally 9 to 13," he said.

"For the initials, the suspect is I or A alias A. Then the other is R," continued Nurul.

Then, for now they are placed in different locations. The suspect and witness were secured at the Philippine authorities' office.

"For the 2 suspects and 13 witnesses were detained at the Cyber Crime Brug Building and 224 were secured at the Sumpanle Platfor Mapangga Philippines. Currently they are still in Mapangga Philippines," said Nurul.

However, regarding the possibility that the dozens of witnesses would become suspects, Azizah could not confirm it. The reason is that the Police are still investigating it.

"We don't think, we'll just have to wait for further investigation. Because the investigation team is currently still working to deepen it. For the Philippines, of course, we are working with the Philippine police," said Nurul.

Previously it was reported that the National Police together with the Philippine police dismantled the international scamming network. In the disclosure, thousands of people were arrested.

The perpetrators came from various countries, such as China, the Philippines to Indonesia. From the results of the data collection, it was recorded that 154 Indonesian citizens (WNI) were suspected of being involved.

However, from the results of the examination and deepening, only two people were declared suspects.