Another suspect in trader’s kidnap-slay case nabbed

RECOVERED BY THE ROADSIDE A barangay employee points to the site in Sitio Odiongan, Barangay Macabud, Rodriguez, Rizal, where the bodies of Chinese-Filipino businessman Anson Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo were found on Wednesday. They were placed inside nylon bags. The two men were last seen on March 29 after leaving their office in Valenzuela City. —Lyn Rillon

MANILA, Philippines — One of the principal suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Chinese businessman Anson Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo was arrested on Boracay island over the weekend, the Philippine National Police said.

Chinese national Wenli Gong, also known as Kelly Tan Lim, was found hiding by authorities with her three children and parents at a resort, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing on Monday. Gong has a P10-million bounty on her head.

She has been hiding in the popular tourist destination since she arrived there using a private jet on April 26.

Wu Jiabing, another Chinese national who helped Gong while she was in hiding, has also been taken into custody. Authorities recovered from Wu a full-head mask, which they believe was used by Gong to conceal her identity and evade authorities.

He will face separate charges for obstruction of justice and harboring a fugitive, on top of his undocumented status.

READ: Que kidnap – slay case solved, but not closed – PNP

Gong was allegedly used by mastermind David Tan Liao to lure Que to the place where he was held and killed. She also facilitated the transfer of the ransom money paid by the businessman’s family to his captors.

Que, a steel magnate whose legal name is Anson Tan, and Pabillo were found dead on April 9 in Rodriguez, Rizal, after they went missing on March 29.

The PNP took custody last month of the other suspects in the case: Liao, Richardo Austria David (also known as Richard Tan Garcia), and Raymart Catequista. David and Catequista were first arrested in Roxas while Liao later surrendered to the police.

Main players

“We now consider this case solved, considering that the majority, if not all of the main players, are in custody,” Fajardo said.

Authorities have now shifted their focus on tracing and recovering the ransom money paid by Que’s family.

“We really want to find out who actually benefited or [became] the end user of the ransom,” Fajardo said.

The PNP earlier identified two casino junket operators, 9 Dynasty Group and White Horse Club, that were used to deposit the ransom money. The funds were transferred from one e-wallet account to another before being converted into cryptocurrency.

The kidnappers demanded a ransom of $20 million from Que’s family who paid P200 million in cryptocurrency in multiple tranches. /cb