PNP: Businessman, driver died from strangulation

Autopsy reports from the Philippine National Police (PNP) indicate that steel businessman Anson Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo died from asphyxia by manual strangulation.

PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo stated that two Filipino suspects, Ricardo Austria David (also known as Richard Tan Garcia) and Raymart Catequista, confessed to strangling the victims to death using an orange rope.

David and Catequista admitted to strangling Que and Pabillo upon the directive of a Chinese national identified as David Tan Liao, who has surrendered to authorities.

Que and Pabillo were last seen leaving their office in Valenzuela City on March 29 and were later seen on CCTV footage arriving at a house in Meycauayan, Bulacan, where they were restrained by the suspects.

Pabillo's DNA was matched with a sample taken from a spoon found inside the Meycauayan apartment where the victims were killed.

The PNP is investigating if the crime is linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) as Liao's group is reportedly a kidnap-for-hire syndicate used to collect debts.