Police investigations identified the two arrested suspects as Gong Wenli, alias “Kelly,” and Wu Jiaping (transliterated), also known as “Wu Jiabing.” Gong Wenli allegedly played a significant role, handling ransom negotiations with the victim’s family and managing the digital wallet that held the 200 million Philippine pesos (approximately US$3.58 million) ransom. Furthermore, Gong Wenli is suspected of orchestrating the subsequent money laundering process.
Local television station ABS-CBN reported that Gong Wenli was the key individual who lured the victim to the kidnapping site. Investigations revealed that only a portion of the ransom remained in the kidnappers’ cryptocurrency wallet;
approximately US$1.36 million had been transferred through a Cambodian account flagged by the United States for money laundering activities. Police are currently conducting in-depth investigations to determine if the two suspects are part of a larger kidnapping syndicate and to identify any other accomplices. Prosecutors have begun preparing the formal indictment against the two suspects.
The 66-year-old Anson Que, originally from Yongchun, Fujian province, arrived in the Philippines in 1985 to establish his business. By 1990, he had founded a steel trading company, which he gradually expanded into a business empire encompassing real estate, mining, and other sectors, earning him the title of the Philippines’ “Steel Tycoon.”
On April 10th of this year, police confirmed that Anson Que and his driver had been kidnapped and killed. Despite his family paying a total of 210 million Philippine pesos in ransom in three installments, the hostages were not released. Several individuals involved in the case have since been arrested. Notably, Anson Que’s son remains under investigation by the Philippine Department of Justice, indicating the ongoing nature of the case.
