Still no sign of Atong Ang despite 10 raids last week
Despite 10 raids that were conducted last week in the continuing search for fugitive Charlie “Atong” Ang, there has been no sign of the gambling tycoon, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
Ang is facing several arrest warrants issued by three different courts over the disappearance of at least 34 cockfighting aficionados or “sabungeros” between 2021 and 2022.
“We conducted 10 raids last week. All the sites we went to yielded negative results,” Remulla said in a radio interview on dzBB on Tuesday. He did not say where the raids were carried out.
Still optimistic
“But our manhunt continues. We will eventually find him,” he added.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police, which is leading the search for Ang, earlier told reporters that their efforts were concentrated in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Bicol Region.
Remulla reiterated that Ang is still believed to be in the country despite reports he had escaped to Cambodia. Cambodian officials, however, denied this in a statement issued earlier this month.
On Feb. 12, the DILG raised the bounty for Ang to P20 million, days after a San Pablo, Laguna Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued a warrant for his arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
Aside from Ang, presiding Judge Luvina Roque of the San Pablo RTC Branch 29 also ordered the arrest of five other police officials believed to be involved in the disappearance of the sabungeros.
On Jan. 13, the Sta. Cruz, Laguna RTC issued four separate arrest warrants for Ang and 17 others. Three of the warrants were in connection with the 15 counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention filed against them, while the fourth was for four counts of kidnapping with homicide.
Two days later, a Lipa City, Batangas RTC also issued an arrest order against a total of 15 accused in the case, including Ang and six civilians, for charges of kidnapping with homicide.
All 21 of the gambling tycoon’s coaccused are already in the custody of authorities with only Ang still at large.
