Chinese steel tycoon in Philippines killed after being abducted
A Chinese businessman and his driver were found dead after being kidnapped in the Philippines, prompting the Chinese Embassy in the Southeast Asian country on Friday to demand an urgent resolution of the case.
Guo Congyuan, 68, founder of Elison Steel and a prominent business figure in the Philippines, was abducted on March 29 in Bulacan, a province in Central Luzon, north of Manila, along with his driver Armanie Pabillo. Despite the tycoon's family paying a staggering ransom of 210 million pesos (US$3.68 million), both victims were later killed.
Chinese businessman Guo Congyuan, known as the "Steel King" in the Philippines
On April 9, their bodies were discovered in a grassy area in neighboring Rizal Province, east of Manila, stuffed in nylon bags with their heads wrapped in layers of tape. Both showed signs of severe bruising and facial injuries, indicating possible torture before death.
Born in Quanzhou, east China's Fujian Province, Guo, also known as Anson Tan/Anson Que, moved to the Philippines in 1985 and set up his steel trading company in the early 1990s, eventually earning the nickname "Steel King."
The bodies of Chinese businessman Guo Congyuan and his driver were discovered in a grassy area in the Philippines on April 9.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy in a statement on Friday, confirming that it had immediately mobilized rescue efforts upon learning of the kidnapping. The embassy assisted the family in reporting the case to both Philippine and Chinese authorities while pressing local law enforcement officials to prioritize the investigation.
"We strongly condemn this brutal act and extend our deepest condolences to the victims' families," the embassy said. Philippine police have formed a special task force to investigate the killings, with the probe still ongoing.
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