Atong repeats denial, sues 2 ex-aides who tagged him and Gretchen
Businessman Charlie Tiu Hay Ang, more popularly known as Atong Ang, on Thursday again denied any involvement in the disappearance of dozens of “sabungeros,” or cockfight enthusiasts, and filed a criminal complaint against two of his former “loyal and dependable” employees for implicating him and several others, including his former partner, Gretchen Barretto, in the case.
He filed the complaint in the Mandaluyong City prosecutor’s office alleging grave threats, grave coercion, slander, conspiracy to commit attempted robbery and incriminating innocent persons against Julie “Dondon” Patidongan and Alan “Brown” Bantiles.
“Dondon and Brown were not strangers to me—they were my employees, individuals I entrusted with responsibilities under the belief that they were loyal and dependable,” he said in his complaint.
“I gave them opportunities, treated them with fairness, and extended to them a level of trust that, in hindsight, they were never worthy of,” he said. “It is only now, in the face of these events, that I have come to fully realize what they are capable of.”
He denied all allegations, saying they were “entirely false and without basis.”
‘Trial by publicity’
He said the allegations have caused “irreparable harm” due to “trial by publicity” without due process.
Ang has been linked to the disappearance of the sabungeros as early as 2022 when a Senate inquiry was opened to look into the case.
At the time, Ang lamented that his e-sabong company, Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc., was being condemned for the disappearance of the cockfight enthusiasts, which he maintained he had nothing to do with. Lucky 8 operates e-sabong through the Pitmaster brand.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla declined to comment on Ang’s complaint, saying he would rather not discuss the allegations. He noted that the businessman might just be trying to sway public opinion in his favor.
Alias Totoy
Ang and Barretto are now potential suspects in the case, he added.
In an interview with GMA News on Wednesday, Patidongan, who first surfaced as a witness identified as Alias Totoy, said Ang was the “main mastermind” behind the disappearance of the sabungeros.
Patidongan had earlier claimed that the missing sabungeros’ bodies were dumped in Taal Lake.
He said in the GMA interview that when those who monitored the cockfights observe “tyope” or cheating in the game, they would report to Ang, who would then order that the cockfight aficionados be held.
“Si Mr. Atong Ang, siya yung chairman ng Pitmaster. Siya ang pinakamastermind, siya ang nag-uutos na iligpit ang mga ’yan (Mr. Atong Ang, he is the chairman of Pitmaster. He is the main mastermind. He ordered these people to be eliminated),” Patidongan said in the interview.
Farm manager
In his 29-page complaint affidavit, Ang detailed his relationship with Patidongan, one of the accused in the case.
He said Patidongan was his game fowl farm manager who oversaw the general maintenance and daily operations of the farm and had supervisory authority over security personnel, manpower deployment and the provision of essential farm requirements.
His responsibilities extended to all locations where cockfighting events were regularly conducted, specifically in Lipa in Batangas, Sta. Cruz in Laguna, and Sta. Ana in Manila, Ang said.
In January 2022, Patidongan along with five security personnel under his supervision were charged in the abduction of sabungeros who were allegedly caught in what is colloquially known in the industry as “tyope,” which is the manipulation of the outcome of a cockfight through various means.
P12 for campaign
Citing the “long-standing professional relationship” they shared, Ang said he agreed to extend legal assistance to help Patidongan in the case and also provided financial support to his family.
When Patidongan ran for municipal mayor of Barobo, Surigao del Sur, in the recent polls, Ang admitted giving around P12 million to help his former aide’s campaign.
On Feb. 8, 2025, Ang said he received a phone call from Bantiles, who allegedly suggested that he pay Patidongan P300 million in exchange for his past services at the farm, additional funding to cover his ongoing legal battles, and seed money to support his political campaign.
“Brown then made a veiled threat, insinuating that if I refused to give in to their demand, Dondon might be compelled to implicate me in the ongoing cases related to the ‘missing sabungeros,’ which were at that time still under investigation and pending trial,” Ang said.
‘Pressure’ to pay up
“I was utterly shocked and disturbed by such an outrageous suggestion, especially given the gravity of the case involved. I responded angrily and said, ‘Bakit niya ako idadamay diyan? Anong kinalaman ko diyan sa mga nawawala!’ (Why would he link me to that? What have I got to do with those missing?),” he added.
Bantiles allegedly called him repeatedly, trying to “pressure” him to make the payment to “appease” Patidongan.
Ang’s lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, said he would cooperate with Malacañang, the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to “uncover the truth.”
“We are on the side of justice and on the side of the families who lost their loved ones,” she said.
According to Palace press office Claire Castro, President Marcos will show no favor to anyone—no matter how powerful and influential the person is—in ensuring justice in the case.
“If these people need to be held accountable, then a thorough investigation should be conducted to give justice to the families of the missing sabungeros,” she added.
State witness?
Asked whether the government was open to have Patidongan stand as a state witness, Castro said that would depend on the DOJ’s decision.
“His testimony and the testimony of other witnesses that will come out will need to be evaluated by the DOJ if they can be admitted as state witnesses. They should be brave and have the conviction to tell nothing but the truth,” Castro said.
Patidongan had implicated several police officers in the abduction of the cockfight aficionados, whose bodies, he claimed, were weighed down with sandbags to prevent them from floating to the surface of the lake.
The alleged abductions and disappearances occurred between April 2021 and January 2022, according to the Philippine National Police. —WITH REPORTS FROM DEXTER CABALZA, LUISA CABATO AND INQUIRER RESEARCH
