Metro Briefs: Aug. 29, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — The Makati police will no longer file illegal detention and obstruction of justice charges against the officials of a commercial building in Parañaque City who prevented them from investigating the alleged kidnapping of a Chinese national.

Col. Rogelio Simon, Makati police chief, said that they decided against going to court after the supposed victim, Zeng Shu Ming, went to the police station on Aug. 26 to deny that he was abducted.

Zeng’s alleged kidnapping was reported to the police by his friend, Lin Zhixin, on Aug. 22.

Lin said Zeng was forced into a van by several men outside a hotel in Barangay La Paz, Makati City.

A check of the van’s license plate showed it to be registered to Xin Dong Fang (New Oriental) Co., a Chinese online gaming company where Zeng used to work.

Its local office was at the Pearl Plaza building in Parañaque City.

When a Makati police team went to the building to conduct an investigation on Aug. 23, they were allegedly held for over an hour inside the building by the security personnel.

In his affidavit, Zeng said that his Chinese coworkers were in the van.

“They asked me to go with them to my former office to settle my obligation and unclear status of clearances,” he said.

His friend, however, thought he had been kidnapped.

Zeng told authorities that after “settling my obligation,” he was allowed to leave the building. —Dexter Cabalza

Arnulfo Tamayo; 93

Atty. Arnulfo L. Tamayo passed away on Aug. 26, 2019. His body lies in the family residence at Celia Subdivision, Novaliches, Caloocan City.

Interment will be on Aug. 30 after the 10 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Parish Church in Urduja Village, Novaliches, Caloocan City.

An intelligent man full of wit and charm who lived an incredible 93 years, Tamayo was husband to  Florencia and father to their children William, Susan, Arnulfo Jr., Jose Glicerio, Rolando, Reynaldo, Enrico B. Tamayo, Maria Victorina, Augusto “Toots,” Ramon and John Arnold.