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Missing twin tourists found, seek asylum
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Posted on Mar 01 2006
The missing twin Chinese tourists were found Tuesday morning, but the two have sought asylum protection.
Detective John Santos, in a telephone interview with the Saipan Tribune, said he picked up He Yong and He Jing at the federal Ombudsman’s office in Puerto Rico where the two wanted to seek asylum.
Santos said that, because of the DPS’ release to the media about the missing twin tourists, a caller informed police that the twins were at the Ombudsman’s Office.
Santos said he brought the twins to the Attorney General’s Office in Susupe and the Division of Immigration then stepped into the case.
“They are seeking asylum. Immigration took over the investigation,” said the detective, who, along with Century Tour agency, asked the media’s help to locate the twins.
Century Tour has offered a $500 cash reward for information leading to the twin sisters’ location.
DPS said that He Yong and He Jing, both 51, arrived with other Chinese tourists on Saipan on Feb. 21, 2006 from Shanghai. The twins were scheduled to depart to Shanghai on Saturday. Both have been reported missing since Thursday last week.
Through investigation, Santos learned that the two went hiding at the Taiwan Center Building in As Lito.
It was not clear whether Immigration placed them under custody.
When asked about the incident, Chief Prosecutor Jeffery Warfield Sr. said it is an immigration matter and that he had not discussed it with assistant attorney general Eric O’Malley, who is handling immigration cases.
