Atong Ang's complaints vs whistleblower Dondon Patidongan, Alan Bantiles dismissed
The Mandaluyong City Prosecutor's Office has dismissed Atong Ang's complaints against whistleblower Julie "Dondon" Patidongan and a certain Alan Bantiles.
According to the court, the complaints for robbery with violence or intimidation, grave threats, grave coercion, slander, and cyber libel were junked due to lack of necessary factual details and sufficient proof to establish the alleged crimes.
"It also fails to meet the standard of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction required before a case can move forward to prosecution. Without such foundation, the libel charge cannot be upheld without turning the prosecutorial process into mere speculation," the 19-page resolution dated Sept. 30 read.
Ang alleged that Patidongan and Bantiles attempted to extort P300 million from him. However, prosecutors said that the call logs between Ang and Bantiles showed that calls were initiated by the businessman.
"The documented pattern shows complainant initiating contact whit his supposed extortionists, suggesting a willingness or an initiative, inconsistent with a victim's reaction to coercion," it stated, according to a GMA News report.
The court also noted Ang's admission of making campaign contributions to Patidongan's run for mayor.
"It would be difficult to reconcile how complainant, a seasoned businessman of considerable resources and influence, would still choose to fund the very person allegedly orchestrating a criminal scheme against him devoid of any hesitation or visible precaution," it said, as per PNA.
Patidongan accused Ang, actress Gretchen Barretto, as well as Eric Dela Rosa and Celso Salazar, of being the masterminds in the case of not just 34 but over 100 missing sabungeros.
Patidongan, who said he has been working for Ang for 15 years as the chief of security of his farms and cockfight areas, alleged that Ang is the pit master's chairman. "Siya ang mastermind, at siya ang nag-uutos na talagang iligpit ang mga 'yan," he said in his interview with GMA's 24 Oras.
While he's one of the six accused in the case, Patidongan asserted that he was merely following orders from Ang.
He also claimed that Barretto was fully aware of Ang's operations in the cockfight arena.
In July, Ang filed criminal charges before the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor's Office on Thursday against Patidongan and Alan Bantiles for false accusations related to the case of missing sabungeros.
Ang and Barretto denied the accusations, with both filing respective counter-affidavits to the Department of Justice in relation to the missing sabungeros case.
