Palace: Probe lapses in Atong Ang case

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday called for an investigation into possible lapses following Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s admission that gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang had managed to leave the country through the “backdoor.”

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida, however, insisted that Ang was still in the Philippines, based on Bureau of Immigration (BI) records.

“Let’s look into it and right now, we need to know, we need to investigate if there were indeed lapses,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said at a briefing.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Atong Ang has left the Philippines – Remulla

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

“So, there are people who are really quick to run and this is not the first time that Atong Ang escaped. When he was first charged, he also managed to evade authorities almost immediately,” she added.

According to her, security at the country’s borders should be strengthened, noting that its archipelagic geography could allow people wanted by authorities to slip out using backdoor routes.

Ang is facing arrest warrants issued by Laguna and Batangas courts earlier this year in connection with multiple criminal complaints, including 15 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention and four counts of kidnapping with homicide.

Balancing of rights

According to witness Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, who said he is a former employee of Ang, the gambling tycoon had ordered a group of police officers to abduct and kill the victims, whose bodies were then dumped in Taal Lake. The missing “sabungeros,” Patidongan claimed, had been suspected of cheating in cockfighting games.

Article continues after this advertisement

Castro, however, noted that in the absence of a hold departure order, a person cannot be prevented from leaving the country.

“So we must balance the rights of each person. We must also balance the obligation and responsibility of every official,” she said.

Article continues after this advertisement

“So we cannot immediately say that there is a culprit or that someone is negligent. Let us allow the investigation to proceed first to determine who is at fault,” Castro added.

Vida, meanwhile, insisted that based on immigration records, Ang remains in the country.

In a chance interview, Vida said he was “not aware” of Remulla’s source of information that Ang had already fled, noting that information from the BI showed otherwise.

But he acknowledged that the Philippines has “very porous” borders, allowing fugitives to use “backdoors” to escape.

“Of course, we do understand that there were several instances in the past when he got out. That’s really the challenge because our borders are very porous,” Vida told reporters.

“As the statement of your secretary of justice, per records of the department, he is still in the country,” he said.

Sought for comment on Vida’s remark, Remulla said in a Viber message to the Inquirer: “What he said is possible.”

“None of the records show that he left through our ports of entry/exit. Our intelligence analysis [indicates] that he exited through the backdoor of the Philippines,” Remulla explained.

“In the end, we both can be correct,” he said.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Remulla, however, noted that based on the verified information they received, Ang may have left a year ago, even before the courts ordered his arrest in January and February. /cb