Lacson to PNP: Recover ransom in Que slay case to regain public trust (2025)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) should now work towards recovering the ransom paid by the family of slain Filipino-Chinese businessman Anson Que to regain public trust, former Sen. Panfilo Lacson said on Tuesday.

Lacson, in recent interviews with One News and Net25 — transcripts of which were uploaded on his website — said that the inability to recover the ransom money despite the arrest of suspects might lead to doubts towards the PNP.

Suspects behind the kidnapping and killing of Que and his driver, Armanie Pabillo, have either surrendered or were arrested by the PNP’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG). However, the PNP said they are still following the money trail to recover the ransom money paid by his family through cryptocurrency.

“Recovering even a portion of the ransom money and returning the same to the victim’s family will further help the PNP regain the trust and confidence of the public,” Lacson, a former PNP chief during the Estrada administration and now vying for another Senate term, said.

“If you don’t recover the ransom money, yet you have arrested the suspects, what will the victim’s family and the Chinese Filipino community think? Where is the ransom money? There should be ransom recovered since you arrested the suspects,” he added.

Last April 19, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said two of the suspects behind Que and his driver’s abduction and death — a certain Richardo Austria David and another Raymart Catequista — were arrested by the PNP-AKG in Roxas town, Palawan, on April 18.

The third suspect, a Chinese national identified as David Tan Liao, surrendered the following day.

According to Fajardo, last March 30, Que’s family received a text through amessaging platform demanding ransom in multiple tranches, totalingP200 million or around US$20 million when converted through the cryptocurrency.

READ: 3 suspects in Que kidnap-slay under police custody

Lacson, meanwhile,said that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) will be of great help in tracking the transactions and eventually, the ransom money.

“The AMLC will play a big role here. They are already investigating because they can open e-wallets,” he said.

Furthermore, Lacson said that while the case can be considered solved, justice can only be attained if the suspects arrested are convicted of the crimes charged against them,which means the PNP must help build a strong case.

“The police may be right when they claim the case is solved. But they cannot claim justice is served until the suspects are convicted. So as of now, it’s case solved, but justice not yet served,” he said.

“As we speak I am sure there is coordination between the PNP and the military, so the military is being tapped indirectly as a support group, especially in technical matters. I’m sure they are coordinating,” he said.

Previously, Lacson said that creating a task force to investigate the recent kidnappings is just a mere first step, noting that the police have to solve the case to regain public confidence.

READ: Lacson: Probing kidnapping is just first step, cases must be solved

As a police official, Lacson investigated kidnap-for-ransom incidents when he headed the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force and the Task Force Habagat — which led to the dismantling of notorious kidnapping group Red Scorpion.

The former senator was also part of the intelligence unit of the Philippine Constabulary, the precursor of the PNP. During the 1980s, Lacson successfully led a unit of theMetrocom Intelligence and Security Group(MISG) in rescuing businesswoman Robina Gokongwei and her cousin from their abductors.