The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on April 19, 2025, that three suspects involved in the kidnapping and murder of Filipino-Chinese steel entrepreneur Anson Que and his driver have been arrested. Anson Que was the owner of Elison Steel Company. This case has drawn widespread attention from the Filipino-Chinese community.
On March 29, 2025, Anson Que disappeared while on his way to meet someone in Parañaque City. Despite the family paying a total ransom of about 100 million pesos (approximately 1.75 million US dollars), both he and his driver were killed. On April 9, their bodies were found in Rodriguez, Rizal Province, with their faces wrapped in tape and their bodies stuffed into nylon bags.
PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Jean Fajardo stated that Richardo Austria David and Raymart Catequista were arrested on April 18 in Roxas City, Palawan Province, while David Tan Liao surrendered to the authorities on April 19.
It is noteworthy that Liao was previously arrested in 2022 for allegedly kidnapping a Chinese citizen, and his involvement in this case again raises questions about whether he had been "lightly punished" or "scapegoated" previously.
Various business groups, including the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce, have strongly condemned the incident, calling it a severe violation of humanity. The Philippine Department of Justice has established a special anti-kidnapping task force aimed at enhancing information sharing between intelligence and law enforcement agencies and plans to set up specialized courts to handle kidnapping cases.
Currently, all three suspects are in police custody, and the case is still under further investigation. The Philippine government emphasizes that it will continue to crack down on such criminal activities to ensure social safety and justice.
