MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the recent kidnapping and murder of Filipino-Chinese businessman Anson Que, who was found dead in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro in a Palace briefing vowed that the government will act on the case, which comes as the Filipino-Chinese community expressed alarm overrecent kidnappings.

“Patuloy po ang pag-iimbestiga po dito. Hindi po ito tutulugan ng gobyerno. Ang lahat po na nagaganap dito ay pinagbilin po ng Pangulo na dapat imbestigahang mabuti para po ma-lessen o ma-eradicate ang mga ganitong klaseng krimen dito sa Pilipinas,” Castro said.

(The investigation on this will continue. The government will not sleep on this case.  The President has given the order to investigate these to lessen or eradicate this kind of crimes in the Philippines) has activated a Special Investigation Task Group to handle the high-profile case.

Que and his driver were found dead in Rodriguez, Rizal, the Philippine National Police said Thursday. 

Earlier reports said a concerned citizen discovered the two unidentified bodies in a grassy area in Barangay Macabud.

“There were signs of bruises and some body injuries po at meron din pong sign ng strangulation,”  Police BGen. Jean Fajardo, PNP spokesperson, said in a chance interview prior to a command conference regarding the case.

(There were signs of bruises and some bodily injuries, and there were also indications of strangulation.)

2 bangkay natagpuan sa Rodriguez, Rizal

Also known as Anton Tan, Que and his driver were last seen on March 29 around 2 p.m. after leaving their Valenzuela City office, which is engaged in the steel business, Fajardo said.

Que’s family reported him missing on March 30, saying he and his driver did not return home and missed their scheduled appointments.

Fajardo added that the family had asked the police to investigate discreetly and requested privacy.

CHINESE-FILIPINO GROUPS DEMAND ACTION

More than a dozen Chienese Filipino groups have condemned the kidnapping and killing of Que, whom they described as "a businessman, a pillar of philanthropy", and of his driver.

Recalling the recent kidnapping of a Chinese student from an international school in Taguig, the groups said "these acts are not merely crimes; they are an assault on the soul of our nation, a grotesque violation of humanity itself, and a declaration of war against the principles of justice, decency, and peace that bind us as a society."

The groups, which include Anvil Business Club, said they reject "empty platitudes, the hollow theories, the bureaucratic inertia that too often follow such horrors" and called for swift action by the authorities.

"We demand action—swift, unrelenting, and transparent—to bring every perpetrator, conspirator, and enabler of this evil to account. Let the wheels of justice turn with ferocious speed, and let their verdicts echo as a warning to those who would dare repeat such infamy," they said.

POGO-RELATED?

Investigators are looking into the possibility that the crime was linked to a group associated with Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

“As to the issue nga po ng POGO, isa po ‘yon sa tinitingnan po nating anggulo and possible involvement po ng isang grupo behind this incident and previous incidents na involved po sa POGO-related operation po,” the official said.

(Regarding the POGO issue, that is one of the angles we are looking into, including the possible involvement of a group behind this incident and previous incidents linked to POGO-related operations.)

ABANDONED CAR

Fajardo confirmed that a black Lexus LM350 found abandoned along Seminary Road, in Barangay Bahay Toro in Project 6, Quezon City on April 8 belonged to the victim.

“’Yon po ‘yong identified po na last na ginamit po ng biktima po. So, ita-tie po natin ‘yon… (We will) backtrack po at hanapin ‘yong  missing link po dito from the time he was last seen alive noong March 29,” she said.

(That was identified as the last vehicle used by the victim. So we will backtrack and find the missing links from the time he was last seen alive on March 29.)

“We have to really tie up from the time na umalis po sila sa opisina and they taken route na hindi po nila normally dinadaanan po.”

(We really have to trace their movements from the time they left the office, especially since they took an unusual route.)

Police are also verifying a report that two individuals wearing hoodies were seen leaving the car in the area, according to Fajardo.

AKG DIRECTOR RELIEVED

Police Gen. Elmer Ragay, Anti-Kidnapping Group director, has been relieved from his post, according to Fajardo.

"He (PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil) is not satisfied with the performance, that’s why he (Ragay) was relieved and replaced today," Fajardo said.

Ragay was replaced by Police Col. David Poklay, the deputy director for operations of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Fajardo said Marbil activated a Special Investigation Task Group to handle the case.