The Philippine National Police (PNP) clarified on Wednesday that it remains unclear whether the son of the slain Filipino-Chinese steel businessman was involved in the crime, following allegations identifying him as the alleged 'mastermind' behind the incident.
This follows the claim made by the arrested primary suspect, David Tan Liao, who accused the victim’s son of allegedly ordering the crime.
In a media briefing held at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson PBGen. Jean Fajardo presented a diagram identifying individuals allegedly involved in the kidnap-slay case, including David Tan Liao, two other arrested suspects, and two accomplices who are still at large.
Kelly Gong, one of the suspects who remains at large, is the subject of a ₱5 million bounty reportedly offered by a concerned citizen.
However, Fajardo emphasized that the claims made by David Tan Liao are still subject to preliminary investigation, during which the slain businessman’s son will have the chance to respond.
The 'Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order,' a group representing the Tsinoy community, previously expressed frustration following the identification of the victim’s son as a possible mastermind in the crime.
“Maliban doon sa kanyang [Liao] assertion ay wala naman siyang naipapakita pa na ebidensya linking [the son],” said Fajardo.
“Although may mga sinasabi po siya doon sa kanyang statements including the alleged meeting with the son and even the physical and even the calls, wala siyang mai-present,” she added.
Meanwhile, Fajardo revealed that the suspects in the kidnap-slay case utilized junket operators at casinos to transfer the ₱200-million ransom via cryptocurrency.
The PNP found that several major casinos had violated regulations by failing to report suspicious transactions involving large sums of money on multiple occasions.
Authorities are currently working with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to determine if legal action can be taken against the unnamed casinos.
