Manila, Feb. 20 -- The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines on Friday said the alleged mastermind in the brutal drum murder case is not a Taiwanese national but a Chinese.

TECO said it conducted verification procedures upon learning that the arrested individual was described in certain reports as a Taiwanese national.

"After carefully examining the passport presented by the suspect, this Office confirms that the document is a forged Taiwanese passport," TECO said in a statement.

"[A] TECO Officer personally visited the suspect to conduct consular verification. During the interview, the suspect was unable to provide a valid Taiwan national identification number and admitted that he is a Chinese national."

TECO ...