Hong Kong man released from Philippine prison after 26 years
Tang Lung-wai returns to Hong Kong after serving time for drug possession conviction
Quick Look
- Tang Lung-wai, a 55-year-old Hong Kong man, has returned home after spending 26 years imprisoned in the Philippines.
- Arrested in 2000 for methamphetamine possession and convicted in 2011, he was finally released and arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tang Lung-wai was arrested in Manila in July 2000 for possession of methamphetamine. He remained on remand until his conviction in 2011, when he received a life sentence.
A Hong Kong man imprisoned in the Philippines for 26 years while fighting against convictions for drug possession has been released and returned home on Tuesday night.
Tang Lung-wai, 55, was greeted by his elder brother, Billy Tang Lung-piu, as he arrived from Manila at the Hong Kong International Airport.
“The moment I got out of the car, uncuffed, I felt finally free,” he said. “I am really lucky to be able to walk out physically sound.”
Tang Lung-wai was arrested in Manila in July 2000 for possession of methamphetamine, also known as Ice, and placed on remand. He was convicted more than a decade later, in 2011, and was handed a life sentence, which in the Philippines amounts to a maximum of 40 years in prison.
Open Questions
- What legal developments led to his release after 26 years?
