MANILA, Philippines—The three Chinese drug convicts who were taken by armed men while they were being driven by police for a court hearing to face a separate drug case in Cavite could have been “rescued” and not abducted, a Philippine National Police official said.
Legal Officer Chief Inspector Roque Merdigia, PNP-Anti Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force legal officer, said the group, headed by Li Lan Yan a.k.a Jackson Dy, could have hired armed men to “rescue” them, in view of their financial capacity to do so.
“Hindi natin sure pero pwede sya mag-tap kahit sino kasi alam niyo naman ang properties nito (We’re not sure but he’s capable of tapping anybody because you know he owns a lot of properties),” he said.
Merdigia is pertaining to Dy’s beach resort in Cebu, lands in Zambales, five town house units worth P8 million each, a Jaguar car, a speed boat, yacht, several bank accounts, among others.
Dy, along with two other suspects convicted for drug-related offenses identified as Li Tian Hua and Wang Li Na, were taken by about 20 armed men while they were on their way to attend a court hearing for another drug case in Trece Martires in Cavite around 10 a.m.
Police said the offenders had four police escorts, but were overwhelmed and disarmed by the armed group.
Merdigia said the three were convicted in 2010 and were given life sentences by a Regional Trial Court in Parañaque City.
The syndicate operated a clandestine shabu laboratory in Barangay (village) Capipisa in Tanza, Cavite, and three warehouses. Four were initially arrested in a raid conducted in 2003, but one of the suspects was later acquitted.
Authorities have yet to find out, however, why the convicts haven’t been transferred to the New Bilibid Prison.
“Nakakapanlumo na ipinagmamalaki naming na na-convict namin itong grupo na ito . . . tapos biglang kukunin na lang nang walang ka abog-abog (It’s depressing to know that after you worked hard for their conviction they would be taken away just like that),” Merdigia said.