The Philippine "Sunshine Prison" has another missing person case, the fate of a Malaysian Chinese man remains unknown.

The Bicutan Detention Center, located in Taguig City, Philippines, operated by the Bureau of Immigration, is colloquially known as the "Sunshine Prison" due to its unique operational methods. It has once again fallen into a public controversy—a Malaysian-Chinese man has been missing since his detention on February 26 this year, with his family voicing concerns and suspecting that he might have been subjected to "black handling."

According to the family, initially, the man was able to contact his family and reassure them of his safety using a "prison cell phone." However, since May this year, the phone suddenly went out of contact, with no responses to messages, and the man seemed to have vanished. Adding to the concerns is the fact that he suffers from chronic illnesses and severe depression, and prolonged detention could endanger his life.

In the Chinese community's view, the "Sunshine Prison" is a place where one can enter but cannot leave. Officially, Bicutan is a regulatory facility of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration for detaining foreigners who violate visa regulations, engage in illegal employment, or are involved in legal cases. However, it is also known as the "Chinese Harvester" among the Chinese community.

Over the years, many Chinese in the Philippines have been detained here for various reasons and have fallen into a predicament of high ransom demands, information blockades, and lack of legal recourse. Some cases are particularly suspicious:

Li (from Zhejiang): Arrested at the end of 2023, after his family paid a substantial "deportation fee," there has been no further news, and the immigration bureau responded with "no such person found";

Zhao (from Fujian): Previously released a video from prison asking for help, claiming to be mistreated. After the video was exposed, his account was blocked, and there has been no follow-up;

Huang (from Guangzhou): Suspected of online gambling and was sent to Sunshine Prison, later suspected of being "technically transferred" to a third-country institution, with his family's pleas for help going unanswered.

Insider revelations indicate that "conditional release" negotiations are rampant within Sunshine Prison. Detainees who refuse to cooperate by paying money or signing documents are either detained for a long time or transferred, and in severe cases, sent to "secret compartments," disappearing without a trace.

These operations often involve collusion with specific intermediaries and illegal law enforcement officers, forming a gray "hostage monetization chain." For families, the inability to visit, communicate, or confirm the status of their loved ones means an abyss-like wait.

Human rights organizations have called for an independent investigation into the Sunshine Prison, urging the Philippine government to ensure the basic human rights, communication freedom, and legal relief rights of all foreign detainees.

The disappearance of this Malaysian-Chinese man is drawing broader attention and discussion—

"We are not trying to cover up illegal activities; we just want to see a living person."