By Nancy Carvajal

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested 10 members of a Chinese gang operating in Manila, who had firearms registered under different Filipino names.

Armed with a search warrant, members of the NBI-Special Action Unit raided a four-storey house in Makati based on a tip that armed Chinese men, led by a certain Meng Zi Yu, lived there.

NBI agent Jerome Bomediano said gang members fired at them as soon as they entered the house’s gate.

“Luckily, we saw the Chinese draw his weapon tucked in his waist,’’ he said.

One of the Chinese gang members was brought to the hospital after being shot by an NBI agent. He was detained at the NBI jail after being discharged by doctors.

Seized from the house were firearms of various caliber, illegal drugs and paraphernalia, hundreds of ammunitions, a reloader, jungle bolos, a grenade and several handcuffs.

NBI agents also found a handcuffed Chinese, who claimed he was kidnapped by Meng’s group.

A search of the suspected gang members’ vehicle yielded various accessories for firearms, including a set of red dot scope for Glock firearm and reflex sight for rifles. There were also sachets of what looked like illegal drugs.

Bomediano said a check with the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office in Camp Crame showed that the firearms seized from the Chinese suspects were registered under different Filipino names.

Based on the list of items found in the house, two of the members of the gang, Xiang Jing and Zang Xialong were holders of alien employment permits issued by the Department of Labor and an Alien Certificate Registration.

The suspected Chinese gang members are currently detained at the NBI jail. They will be facing charges of possession of illegal drugs, kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms.