Ang also quits from IBC, NEDA boards

One day after resigning as President Arroyo’s senior consultant on public relations, Dante Ang relinquished yesterday his posts as chairman and chief executive officer of Channel 13 and as board director of the APO Trust Foundation, which is attached to the National Economic and Development Authority.

"I am also giving up my remaining posts because I do not wish my business interests — which have become a favorite target to the piranhas in media and the political establishment — to continuously cloud my relationship with the President," Ang said in a faxed statement.

Ang told The STAR he has not attended the board meetings of the two government bodies for one year
already.

"As I explained (Tuesday), I resigned my consultancy job principally to protect the President and the First Family from undeserved controversies arising from my legitimate business activities," Ang’s statement said.

Ang, owner of The Manila Times, said he resigned his other government posts "to strengthen" his purpose of shielding the First Family from attacks that he was using his position to advance business deals.

"The integrity of the Office of the President is more important to me than my entrepreneurship and my marginal presence in government. Hence, these resignations," he said.

"As a plain private citizen, I shall continue to make — when so commanded — my humble contributions to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her administration, with the national interest always as a guiding principle," he said.

On Tuesday, Ang said he would remain active in the preparations for the 2004 elections of Kampi, Mrs. Arroyo’s party.

Mrs. Arroyo had accepted Ang’s resignation "with regrets."

Citing "delicadeza," Ang said that he was resigning the P1-a-year position of senior consultant on public relations to Mrs. Arroyo "to put an end to the official ties between the Office of the President and this citizen and to dispel insinuations that this person has abused such relationship for personal gains."

Ang said his business activities were never secret from the public and that all his business dealings were aboveboard.

"I have endeavored to make all my personal, official and business activities transparent, honest and ethically scrupulous. My conscience tells me I have succeeded. But some mercenaries in and out of politics would have it otherwise," he said.

He did not use influence or huge sums of money to acquire interests in BankWise, a small thrift bank, and the rights to distribute Tecnogas products locally, he said.

He said his resignation was prompted by the influx of unfair news reports arising from his work as a senior consultant. "The confluence of events made me decide to return the title. It’s just a title. I can still help her," he said.

His resignation will enable him to focus on the P60-million libel suit he had filed against Linda Montayre, secretary general of the People’s Consultative Assembly, and the Philippine Daily Tribune, Ang said.

The libel suit stemmed from the headline story published by Tribune last Oct. 21 in which Ang’s detractors allegedly described him as a "shadowy character," "certified liar," and a "partner in crime." He said the story caused him and his family great anguish and humiliation.

Ang said his family "does not deserve the vile attempts at disinformation and misinformation from professional carpers who seek to ruin my character and honor."