A portion of the P200 million ransom paid in the Anson Que kidnap-slay case has been traced and frozen, the PNP disclosed yesterday.
In a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the frozen amount worth $205,942.17 (about P11.48 million) was in cryptocurrency.
Officials earlier said the ransom went through two casino junket operators — 9 Dynasty Group and White Horse Club — and later transferred to cryptocurrency accounts.
Fajardo said the cryptocurrency accounts are outside the jurisdiction of the Philippines.
“However, the ACG (PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group) managed to trace at least two accounts. We wrote the foreign cryptocurrency issuer and we managed to freeze these accounts,” added Fajardo.
Fajardo said the ACG and the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group are continuing efforts to trace the rest of the ransom money.
“As to the rest of the (ransom) money, we are still trying to trace these…We, particularly the CIDG and the ACG, are focused on determining where the remaining (ransom) money went,” said Fajardo.
Que, a Chinese businessman who owns the Elison Steel in Valenzuela City, and his driver, Armanie Pabillo, were last seen alive last March 29.
Their captors later contacted the Que family to demand a ransom of $20 million (P1.33 billion). After negotiations, the kidnappers agreed to a P200 million ransom, which was paid by the family in multiple tranches.
Despite the payment of the ransom, Que and his driver were still killed by their kidnappers. Their bodies were found in Rodriguez, Rizal, last April 9.
Three suspects are in police custody, including David Tan Liao, a Chinese man who police said orchestrated the kidnapping and slaying of the victims.
Two other Chinese suspects — Wenli Gong, alias Kelly Tan Lim, and Jonin Lin — are at large.
Gong is said to be a co-mastermind of Liao. A concerned citizen has offered a P10 million reward for information that would lead to the arrest of Gong.
