Cambodia denies claim that Atong Ang is hiding in the country
The Cambodian government has refuted reports that businessman Atong Ang, who is wanted in the Philippines for his alleged involvement in the missing sabungeros case, is hiding in the country.
In a statement by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, they confirmed that Ang "is not in Cambodia."
"According to an official report from the Immigration General Department of the Ministry of the Interior of Cambodia, there is no record of Charlie Tiu Hay Ang's entry or exit at any Cambodian border checkpoints," the statement read.
"This clarification is issued to dispel recent media reports suggesting that Charlie Tiu Hay Ang may be hiding in Cambodia, while a team of Philippine police officers had been dispatched to search for him," it added.
Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Sec. Jonvic Remulla told the Philippine News Agency that he believes that Ang is "still in the Philippines."
"The information that he was in Cambodia came from the witness, Julie Patidongan. We haven’t stopped looking for him here," he said.
Ang is at the center of a nationwide manhunt after the Regional Trial Court Branch 26 in Sta. Cruz, Laguna ordered his arrest along with his co-accused in January.
They were slapped with kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges a few weeks prior. According to the law, kidnapping with homicide is a non-bailable offense.
There is now a P10 million reward for those who can provide any information leading to Ang's arrest.
Missing sabungeros case
Ang's involvement in the missing sabungeros case came after whistleblower Dondon Patidongan tagged him and actress Gretchen Barretto as among the persons allegedly behind the abductions of the victims.
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 due to insufficient evidence.