The Department of Justice (DOJ) has cleared 30 of 44 alleged members of a loan shark syndicate charged for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of Singaporean national Wu Yan.
In an 11-page inquest resolution dated July 20, the DOJ said there was no probable cause against the foreign nationals, most of whom are Chinese.
Those cleared were Li Jia Long, Pan Wei Jun, Chen Chao Yi, Chen Guo Xiong, Wang Min, Meng Hao, Pao Xi, Huan Dong Chuan, Yan Xiao Tao, Lin Bing Wen, Kang Cai Chun, Xie Qing Yun, Lin Zhi Tian, Li Lian Den, Qing Chi, Zhu Chong Guang, Lin Feng Bin, Liu Peng, Zhang Fu Xing, Li Yun, Zeng Wei, Wang Fei, Zhang Cheng Jian, Lin Chao, Zou Guan Bao, Rong Yi Wang, Li Hong Bing, Yuan Dan, Huan Tian Peng, and Lin Yung Long.
Fourteen others are still undergoing preliminary investigation.
The DOJ said they “had not been identified by [Wu] as part of the group that kidnapped her.”
The accused group allegedly operated inside Metro Manila casinos targeting high rollers.
“Not an iota of evidence was presented [during the inquest proceedings] to show that they conspired with the alleged kidnappers of complainant Wu Yan. Not even a single act can be imputed against them,” read the resolution, signed by Assistant State Prosecutor Phillip Dela Cruz and approved by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon and Acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan Jr.
The DOJ further stressed that “[a] person to be guilty of crime, must commit the crime himself or he must, in some manner, participate in its commission or in the fruits thereof.”
Wu had claimed she was forcibly taken on July 17 at Solaire Resorts and Casino and taken to Bayview International Towers in Parañaque City, where she was held and beaten up by alleged members of the syndicate, and even threatened to be killed unless they receive $180,000 in exchange for her freedom.
READ: Police arrest 45 foreigners for kidnapping of Singaporean woman
The Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) rescued Wu the next day.
Fourteen other respondents decided to seek a full-blown preliminary investigation.
These include respondents Ng Yu Meng, Goh Kok Meong, Chen Jing Wang, Chen Cheng Feng, Deng Kong Zhi, Ou Min, Chen Jia Yang, Cai Si Yang, Cheng Zai Zheng, Zheng Wei Xiong, Wu Shi Zhu, Huang Lifang, Li Xiang Hu and Ou Fang.
Ng and company submitted counter-affidavits on July 24. Wu was given up to July 31 to submit her reply.
Re-published from ABS-CBN News
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