Que kidnap suspects face DOJ probe

MANILA, Philippines — A lawyer questioned yesterday the arrest of two Chinese nationals implicated in the kidnap-slay of steel magnate Anson Que.

Freidrick Lu, lawyer for Haohua Yang, 47, and Fangquiang Yuan, 38, said his clients were not involved in the crime as they were in a casino resort at the time of the killing.

Yang and Yuan were among the five respondents presented before the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday during the preliminary investigation on the kidnapping and killing of Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo.

The three other suspects – Richard Austria, 52; Reymart Catequista, 31, and David Tan Liao, 48 – also attended the DOJ probe.

The police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) filed charges of kidnapping for ransom with homicide against the suspects before the DOJ.

Lu said he would ask the DOJ-National Prosecution Service to clear his clients’ name.

“It’s short of saying that maybe the AKG got the wrong guys,” Lu said.

According to Lu, Yang and Yuan are being accused as conduits for the ransom money from the Que family.

Lu said the two have been in AKG custody since they were reported missing by their families to the Chinese embassy.

“They were detained for allegedly violating immigration laws,” Lu said.

Meanwhile, the lawyer for the Que family asked the DOJ and the AKG to determine if there is enough basis to include another person as one of the respondents.

Lawyer Arleen Tagaban, who represents Que’s widow as well as the family of Pabillo, refused to name the potential respondent.

The DOJ set the next hearing on May 8.

Police said Que and Pabillo went missing on March 29 after leaving the businessman’s office in Valenzuela City.

Their bodies were found in Rodriguez, Rizal province on April 9.