The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday said they are considering David Tan Liao, Kelly Tan Lim, and an unnamed suspect as alleged masterminds in the kidnap-murder case of steel magnate Congyuan Guo, also known as Anson Tan, and his driver, Armanie Pabillo.
In a chance interview following a media forum at Camp Rafael Crame in Quezon City, PNP chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil was asked whether the masterminds behind the heinous crime had already been identified.
“We have caught the mastermind, David Tan Liao. We are still looking for Kelly and his companion. There’s a P5 million bounty on him. We’re not just putting his name out there—we are actively searching for him,” he said.
“Kelly is with him. This is what we have right now. But what we want to know is—what was their motive? This is the person,” he added.
Marbil also said the named suspects were part of a larger syndicate, when asked if authorities were looking into other individuals with greater involvement in the crime.
“You have to dismantle their web or their syndicate. These two—Kelly and the others—are just part of it,” he said.
“We cannot mention the other names yet because we are still pursuing them,” he added.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for the widow of Anson Que said she wants her son, Alvin, who was included in the PNP’s complaint in connection with the kidnapping and killing of the businessman and his driver, to answer the allegations against him through a counter-affidavit and supporting evidence.
Lawyer Melita D. Go, legal counsel for Que’s widow, Elizabeth Go Siong Tan, and the family, issued the statement after the PNP announced it would amend its complaint to remove Alvin Que from the list of respondents, citing insufficient evidence to implicate him.
“The private complainants and counsels believe that all respondents, including Alvin Que, should be accorded the opportunity to explain their side by submitting their respective counter-affidavit and presenting their witnesses, in accordance with the Rules on Preliminary Investigation,” Go said.
She added that this was intended to “prevent any appearance of inconsistency, lack of thoroughness, objectivity, and transparency, and any impression of suppression of truth insofar as those persons who were recommended by the PNP for regular preliminary investigation.”
“The PNP cannot unilaterally and simply withdraw a case against any suspect without the latter submitting his or her controverting counter-affidavit and supporting evidence after being officially included as a respondent in DOJ records,” Go said.