A Chinese facing criminal charges for kidnapping his compatriot in Pampanga in 2020 and demanding ransom was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last Feb. 19 before he could board his flight to Singapore.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the Chinese as Hu Zhen, 25, who was charged before the Angeles City regional trial court (RTC) with kidnapping and serious illegal detention for ransom.
Tansingco said that immigration officers prevented Hu from boarding his flight based on a hold departure order (HDO) issued by the RTC.
In filing the case against Hu, the BI said that "prosecutors alleged that on Feb. 28, 2020 the four accused conspired and confederated to ‘willfully, unlawfully and feloniously abduct, detain and deprive of his liberty another Chinese man by means of force,’” said the bureau..
It said the prosecutors also said that Hu allegedly "held the victim captive for more than two weeks and demanded a ransom of 300,000 Renminbi for his release."
The victim was rescued by operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) anti-kidnapping task force on March 15, 2020.