Metro Manila, Philippines – One of the suspects in the kidnap-slay of Filipino-Chinese businessman Anson Tan tagged his son as a mastermind, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday, April 30.
PNP spokesperson PBGen Jean Fajardo said they are verifying the claim of Chinese national suspect David Tan Liao that the son directed the murder without offering evidence.
“We are still gathering some information that would corroborate itong sinasabi niyang [the alleged] involvement po nitong anak mismo ng biktima [of the victim’s son],” Fajardo said in a press conference.
“We have to be cautious; We have to be careful and very thorough in investigating this case because there is a possibility also that David Tan Liao, just to escape criminal liability, he will be pointing to other person just to have a leverage against the ultimate mastermind if there is any,” she said.
Fajardo said the son has voluntarily appeared and has been cooperating with the Anti-Kidnapping Group.
He has submitted his cellphone for forensic and scientific processing as he was the one who negotiated with the kidnappers.
P5-million bounty
Meanwhile, a concerned citizen offered a P5-million reward to whoever could point to a suspect at-large identified as Wenli Gong alias Kelly Lim, the woman who lured Tan to be abducted.
The police earlier reported that a woman was used as bait to compel Tan to go to the apartment where he was kidnapped and eventually killed.
“We believe po, based on evidence presented to us, at hawak po nating ebidensya [and the evidence we have], Kelly plays a very important role dito po sa kaso ni [in the case of] Anson Tan,” Fajardo said.
“This is not the first case na ginamit siya [that she was used] as bait,” she added.
Authorities are also looking for another suspect named Jonin Lin.
Tan, a businessman in the steel industry, and his driver Arman Pabillo were reported kidnapped on March 29. They were found dead on a roadside in Rizal on April 9 despite Tan’s family paying ransom.
READ: Fil-Chi businessman, driver were strangled to death – PNP
NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.
