The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that three suspects involved in the kidnapping and murder of Chinese steel merchant Anson Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo have been detained.
At a press conference held at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Jean Fajardo revealed that the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group arrested two Filipino suspects on Friday morning in Roxas City, Palawan Island, namely Richardo Austria David (also known as Richard Tan Garcia) and Raymart Catequista.
Meanwhile, the third suspect, 34-year-old Chinese national David Tan Liao, voluntarily surrendered to the police on the morning of April 19 (Saturday). According to the police, he also used multiple aliases, including "Xiao Changjiang," "Yang Jianmin," and "Michael Agad Yung."
"He expressed concerns to the police that he might also be killed," said Fajardo, noting that he also revealed another reason for surrendering that the police have not yet disclosed.
Fajardo also stated that the police are still pursuing two other Chinese men involved in the case, who are considered the masterminds.
Tracking the Victims' Movements
Que (also known as Anson Tan) and Pabillo were last seen around 2 PM on March 29, after leaving their office in Valenzuela City.
The PNP confirmed through surveillance footage that the two visited a residence at 345 Martha Street, Villacor Village, Barangay Langka, Meycauayan City, Bulacan Province that afternoon. It was in this house that the suspects detained and illegally confined them.
According to police investigations, a Chinese woman was used as bait to lure Que to the location, originally scheduled to meet on March 28, but the meeting was postponed to the next day. The identity of this woman has not been disclosed.
On April 16, the police executed a search warrant at the residence and found one of Que's black leather shoes, as well as Pabillo's shoes and hat. The police also seized nylon bags, ropes, tape, and handcuffs, suspected to be used for detaining the victims.
Vehicle Clues and CCTV Footage
The PNP Highway Patrol Group earlier recovered a vehicle belonging to the victims in Quezon City. Investigations indicated that the vehicle was driven by suspect David Tan Liao. Surveillance footage showed him driving through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Tambubong exit at 3:37 PM on March 29.
He was later captured entering a convenience store near Seminary Road in Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City. "He bought wet wipes and plastic bags, presumably to clean fingerprints from the vehicle," Fajardo disclosed.
Demand for Ransom and Murder Process
On the morning of March 30 at 9:40 AM, the victims' family received an anonymous message via an instant messaging platform, demanding a ransom totaling 200 million pesos (approximately 20 million US dollars), to be paid in specified cryptocurrencies in installments.
"According to our investigation, the suspects' original intent was to rob and kill," Fajardo stated.
She added that the police are still investigating the specific whereabouts of the ransom.
Discovery of Bodies and Fatal Timing
According to police investigations, Que and Pabillo were murdered on the evening of April 8. Fajardo stated that suspects Richardo and Raymart assisted another unidentified man in committing the murder.
The next morning (April 9) around 6 AM, the victims' bodies were discovered in an open field in Barangay Macabud, Rodriguez town, Rizal Province. The police noted that the bodies showed signs of being bound with ropes, strangled, and placed in nylon bags.
