CHINESE CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING BARRED FROM LEAVING PH

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have foiled an attempt by a Chinese man charged with kidnapping and detaining a compatriot in Pampanga three years ago to leave the Philippines.

In a report to Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the BI’s Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BCIU) identified the passenger as Hu Zhen, 25.

Zhen was intercepted on Monday at the NAIA Terminal 3 before he could board his flight to Singapore.

The BCIU reported that Hu was stopped from leaving after immigration supervisors on duty confirmed that he is the subject of an outstanding hold departure order (HDO) issued by the regional trial court in Angeles City.

“He is required to attend 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,” said BI-BCIU overall deputy chief Joseph Cueto.

Records, nonetheless, showed that a case for kidnapping and serious illegal detention for ransom was filed against Zhen and three other Chinese nationals before the Angeles City RTC Branch 56 in March 30, 2020.

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.

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, however, was rescued by a team of policemen from the PNP’s Anti-Kidnapping Task Force on March 15, 2020.

Tansingco lauded the BI personnel who successfully foiled Zhen’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.