MABALACAT CITY --- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have stopped from leaving the country a Chinese national charged with kidnapping and detaining a compatriot in Pampanga three years ago.
In a report to Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the BI’s border control and intelligence unit (BCIU) identified the passenger as Hu Zhen, 25, who was intercepted on Monday at the NAIA Terminal 3 before he could board his flight to Singapore.
The BCIU reported that immigration supervisors on duty confirmed that Hu is the subject of an outstanding hold departure order (HDO) issued by the regional trial court in Angeles City.
“He is required to his court case before he can have his name lifted from the bureau’s hold departure list, as he claimed that said case was already dismissed,” said BI-BCIU overall deputy chief Joseph Cueto.
The agency said records showed that kidnapping and serious illegal detention for ransom were filed against Hu and three other Chinese nationals before Angeles City RTC Branch 56 in March 30, 2020.
Prosecutors alleged that on February 28, 2020, the four accused conspired and confederated to “willfully, unlawfully and feloniously abduct, detain and deprive” of his liberty another Chinese man by means of force.
The accused allegedly held the victim captive for more than two weeks and demanded a ransom of 300,000 Renminbi for his release.
The victim was rescued by a team of policemen from the PNP’s anti-kidnapping task force on March 15, 2020.
Tansingco lauded the BI personnel who foiled Hu’s attempt to flee the country.
The BI chief cited the serious offenses that the Chinese passenger is accused of having committed.
“His attempt to flee was foiled by our officers,” said Tansingco. “Because of his existing HDO, we cannot allow him to leave until he faces the case filed against him,” the BI chief said. --RGN