Philippine steel tycoon Guo Congyuan's kidnapping case enters judicial proceedings, his son Guo Rongxian attends the preliminary hearing
The highly publicized kidnapping and murder case of Chinese businessman Guo Congyuan officially entered the judicial process in the Philippines on May 8. The Department of Justice held the first preliminary investigation hearing on that day, where several suspects were escorted to the headquarters of the Manila Department of Justice for trial, including Guo Congyuan's son, Alvin Que, who is listed as a respondent.
At the hearing, five suspects dressed in orange prison uniforms were escorted to court by the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG). Although the police have submitted a motion to the prosecutor suggesting the dismissal of criminal charges against Alvin Que, he remains on the list of suspects under investigation until an official decision is made by the Department of Justice.
The prosecution emphasizes fairness in procedures, and the application for dismissal is not processed separately
Richard Anthony Fadullon, the Chief Prosecutor of the Philippine Department of Justice, pointed out that the application for dismissal will be incorporated into the overall case review for a unified assessment, and the prosecution team will not make immediate or independent decisions on individual applications. He stated: "Judicial procedures must follow norms and advance, and all assessments will be based on evidence to ensure procedural justice."
According to documents submitted by the police, there is currently no conclusive evidence that Alvin Que was directly involved in the case, hence the recommendation to remove him from the list of suspects. His attorney, Pearlito Campanilla, stated outside the court that considering the police have already initiated a request for dismissal, no written defense will be submitted at this time, but if the Department of Justice ultimately rejects the request, they will legally apply for time to prepare a response statement.
Several suspects appear in court, Chinese suspects' statements submitted by lawyers
In addition to Alvin Que, several other formally charged suspects attended the hearing, including Filipino suspects Richard Austria and Reymart Catequista, as well as key Chinese suspect David Tan Liao. Two Chinese suspects, Yang Haohua and Yuan Fangqiang (transliterations), had their rebuttal statements submitted by their defense attorney, Freidrick Lu.
The legal representative of Guo Congyuan's widow stated that Alvin Que should provide a full response to the charges listed in the initial investigation and submit a written statement to cooperate with the judicial process.
The Minister of Justice reiterates neutrality: handle cases according to the law, seeking the truth
Facing high public interest, Jesus Crispin Remulla, the Minister of Justice, stated to the media after the meeting that the Department of Justice will maintain a neutral stance, unaffected by identity or background, to ensure that each suspect receives the legal protection they deserve. He emphasized: "Our goal is to uncover the truth and achieve justice, no matter who the suspects are."
