Alleged crime gang leader surrenders to police in Zamboanga del Sur

INQUIRER FILES

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — An alleged criminal gang leader surrendered to authorities on Friday evening at Barangay Pag-asa of Dumalinao town, Zamboanga del Sur, authorities said.

Colonel Restituto Pangusban, Zamboanga del Sur police director, told the Inquirer that Anwar Ansang, the former leader of a notorious criminal gang in the Zamboanga Peninsula, is in the country’s Most Wanted Persons list, whose arrest carries a bounty of P445,000.

Ansang had an arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 29 in San Miguel town, Zamboanga del Sur, last August 14, 2015, for multiple counts of murder, murder with multiple frustrated murder, and attempted murder.

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The Ansang criminal group was also involved in kidnapping, drug trafficking, robbery, extortion, contract killing [gun-for-hire] and other forms of criminality, Pangusban said.

He added that the Ansang group used to operate in Pagadian City, Labangan town, towns of the 2nd district of Zamboanga del Sur, and parts of Zamboanga Sibugay.

As the group disintegrated, Ansang reportedly hid in Maguindanao provinces where he has relatives.

Pangusban explained that they coordinated with different agencies for Ansang’s peaceful surrender including the local police in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur.

Lieutenant Colonel Rolando Vargas Jr., commanding officer of the Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion, confirmed to the Inquirer that the Ansang group led the ambush of military perdonnel in Dinas town in November 2016 that killed one officer and wounded three other soldiers.

Ansang is now held at the Dumalinao police station, under heavy guarding.