Atong Ang now facing kidnapping, homicide charges over missing sabungeros
The Department of Justice has formally filed criminal charges against businessman Atong Ang and his co-accused in connection with the case of missing sabungeros.
The Philippine STAR reported that DOJ spokesperson Raphael Niccolo Martinez said in a Viber statement that Ang and others have been slapped with kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping and serious illegal detention raps. The charge sheets were submitted to the Regional Trial Courts in Lipa City, Batangas; Sta. Cruz, Laguna; and San Pablo City, Laguna last Friday, Dec. 19.
"Under the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, the courts wherein the Informations are filed will issue the corresponding warrants of arrest upon its determination of the existence of probable cause based on the evidence submitted and the resolution by the panel of prosecutors," he said.
Martinez previously said that the DOJ was looking to move the cases to Manila though the motion is yet to be filed, according to The STAR.
This came a few weeks after the DOJ's panel of prosecutors found sufficient evidence to charge Ang and other respondents with the aforementioned cases on Dec. 9.
The department went ahead with the filing of complaints despite Ang’s pending motion for reconsideration filed last Dec. 12. There's no update on his motion for reconsideration so far, per Martinez.
Missing sabungeros case
Whistleblower Dondon Patidongan tagged Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto as among the persons allegedly behind the abductions of missing sabungeros. He accused them, 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.
Ang has denied Patidongan's accusations and filed cases against him and another whistleblower, Alan Bantiles, also known as "Brown," who had also tagged him in the case.
Barretto, through her legal counsel, also denied involvement in the case, noting she "has no relevant knowledge" about the disappearances. The DOJ has dismissed complaints against her in line with the issue due to insufficient evidence.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his fourth State of the Nation Address, assured the public that the government is working to solve the case.
