The Manila Times
Fugitive businessman Atong Ang evades arrest by changing locations every two days, funded by an immense fortune that once earned him as much as P1 billion daily for two straight years, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla revealed on Friday. Speaking at the Samahang Plaridel Kapihan media forum, Remulla said the controversial figure remains on the run largely because of his vast wealth, which allows him to constantly move and stay one step ahead of authorities. "Their modus operandi is to keep moving every two days, going from one place to another," the secretary explained, describing Ang's pattern of frequently shifting locations to avoid capture. He attributed Ang’s ability to elude law enforcement to his enormous financial resources, alleging that at the height of his illegal operations, Ang’s earnings reached staggering levels. “The person earned P1 billion a day for two years. 1 billion a day. Imagine mo ang wide chest na dala niya para umikot sa Pilipinas,” Remulla said. Narrow escape in Cavite The DILG chief disclosed that the last confirmed sighting of Ang was in Cavite approximately one month ago. Authorities immediately organized a 300-man strike team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to apprehend him. However, by the time the raiding party arrived, Ang had already fled — with fresh food still left at the location. “The food was still there. We were so close to getting him,” Remulla said. The secretary noted that Ang did not own the Cavite property where he was hiding. Instead, he was merely borrowing the house, allegedly from a relative. “He’s only borrowing the house. The owner of the house is apparently a relative of his, something like that,” he said. Remulla added that authorities have not yet confirmed the owner’s identity or determined whether harboring charges would be filed against the person who allowed Ang to stay on the property. Trail of destruction Beyond his evasion tactics, Remulla painted a grim picture of the damage Ang’s alleged activities have caused, particularly in Cavite province. “In Cavite, many people took their own lives because of him, many went bankrupt because of him. So many families were destroyed because of him,” he said. The secretary vowed that the government would not cease its pursuit until Ang is finally captured. "That’s why we will not stop until we find him,” Remulla said. “I’m not laughing about this. I’m serious about what I’m doing. I really will not allow this to end until I catch him.” When asked whether high-ranking PNP officials were protecting Ang, Remulla dismissed the idea, reiterating that the fugitive’s ability to move freely is simply a function of his enormous wealth. “Because of his money. Ang daming pera eh. Ang daming pera talaga,” he said.
Go to News Site