Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla
JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to intensify efforts to recover the P200 million ransom paid in the kidnapping and murder of Filipino-Chinese businessman Anson Que. Remulla, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, stated that he would be meeting with police officers later that day to discuss the matter.
“I’m telling the police, they should find the ransom money and return it to the family. That’s very basic in kidnapping cases,” Remulla said.
Que, also known as Anton Tan, and his driver were found dead on April 4th in Rodriguez, Rizal, several days after their disappearance from their Valenzuela City office. Police reported signs of torture and strangulation on both victims. Que’s black Lexus SUV was later recovered in Quezon City.
Authorities believe the ransom money was quickly moved through multiple e-wallet accounts, allegedly passing through two junket operators, 9Dynasty Group and White Horse Club, before being converted into cryptocurrency. The rapid and complex nature of these transactions has hampered recovery efforts, with investigators suggesting the funds were laundered almost immediately.
The high-profile case has caused significant concern within the Filipino-Chinese business community, prompting the Department of Justice to initiate discussions with community leaders and establish a task force to address security concerns and prevent similar crimes.
