China sends own agents for consul slay probe

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police regional office 7 in Cebu City will not allow Chinese investigators to conduct their own probe into the fatal shooting of two Chinese consular officials.

More than 10 members of the investigating and forensic team from the Chinese Ministry of Public Safety arrived in Cebu on Monday to look into the killing inside a restaurant in Cebu City last week

Chief Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas, regional office director, said the Chinese team requested from him the results of the local police's investigation.

"I still have to get clearance from the higher headquarters [for the report]," Bañas told a state news outfit.

Li Qingliang allegedly shot Hui Li, a Chinese consulate finance officer, in the head. Deputy Consul General Sun Shuan was also shot in the neck, while Consul General Song Ronghua was hurt in the incident inside the Lighthouse Restaurant on General Maxilom Avenue on October 21.

Li is the husband of Gou Jing, the first secretary consul of the Chinese Consular Office in Cebu.

Li and Gou claimed full diplomatic immunity and were flown back to Xiamen from Mactan Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City on the night of October 23.

The bodies of Hui and Sun were also flown to China on October 25.

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