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BI stops Chinese national charged with kidnapping from leaving Phl

Anthony Ching··2 MIN READ

(Photo courtesy of Bureau of Immigration)

(Photo courtesy of Bureau of Immigration)

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The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Thursday that immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) prevented a Chinese national, who was a suspect in the kidnapping of another Chinese citizen in Pampanga three years ago, from fleeing the country.

In a report given to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the BI Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BI-BCIU) identified the Chinese suspect as Hu Zhen, a 25-year-old male, who was apprehended last Monday at NAIA Terminal 3 when he tried to board his flight bound for Singapore.

According to the BI-BCIU, Hu was prevented from departing after the immigration supervisors on duty verified and confirmed that he was the target of an outstanding hold departure order (HDO) issued by the Angeles City regional trial court.

“He is required to submit his court case before he can have his name lifted from the bureau’s hold departure list, as he claimed that said case was already dismissed,” BI-BCIU Overall Deputy Chief Joseph Cueto said.

However, records indicated that on 30 March 2020, a case was filed before Angeles City RTC Branch 56 for kidnapping and serious illegal detention for ransom against Hu and three other Chinese citizens.

Prosecutors alleged that on 28 February 2020, the four accused conspired to “willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously abduct, detain, and deprive" another Chinese man of his liberty by means of force.

The accused 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 the PNP’s anti-kidnapping task force on 15 March 2020.

Tansingco lauded the BI personnel who successfully foiled Hu’s attempt to flee the country, citing the serious offenses that the Chinese passenger is accused of having committed.

“His attempt to flee was foiled by our officers,” said Tansingco. “Because of his existing HDO, we cannot allow him to leave until he faces the case filed against him,” the BI chief stressed.