MANILA, Philippines — The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines clarified on Friday, February 20, 2026, that the suspected mastermind in the gruesome “Binondo drum murder” case is a Chinese national and not Taiwanese as initially reported.
TECO revealed that the suspect, identified by police as “Davao,” admitted to using a fraudulent Taiwanese passport to hide his true identity.
Case Details & Investigation:
- The Victim: Identified only as “Xiangjang,” another Chinese national. His dismembered body was found stuffed inside a blue plastic drum abandoned near the Delpan Sports Complex in Binondo, Manila.
- The Motive: According to Police Maj. Hazel Asilo, spokesperson for the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the killing was triggered by a dispute over an unpaid debt. The suspect and victim were reportedly drinking in a Pasay City condominium when a violent argument ensued.
- Arrests:
- “Davao” (Mastermind): Arrested on Thursday at a residential hotel in Pasay City. He is believed to be a former worker for a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO).
- “Victor” (Accomplice): A 64-year-old Chinese man arrested on February 18. He was captured on CCTV helping transport the drum in a rented van.
- Evidence: Security footage showed the suspect pushing the drum from a unit on the 15th floor of a Pasay condo. Additionally, a hacksaw and chopping knife believed to be the murder weapons were recovered from the building’s garbage facility.
Discovery
The drum was discovered after two scavengers, who were allegedly paid by the suspects to dispose of it, reported the suspicious container to the Manila Police District.