After months of dead silence, the Philippine government again mentioned the name of fugitive and gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang.
But this time around, it’s because the tycoon might have already left the country.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla refused to provide more details regarding Ang’s supposed exit.
“Wala na (Nothing). I have nothing to add,” said Remulla on Tuesday, October 20.
“He has used the backdoor [exit]. Yes, the backdoor,” the DILG chief later confirmed.
Ang has a pending warrant of arrest from Santa Cruz, Laguna Regional Trial Court Branch 26 due to his kidnapping with homicide cases related to the missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) controversy. He has yet to be arrested since his warrant’s issuance in January.
But there seems to be confusion within the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in so far as Ang’s case is concerned. Apparently, the Department of Justice (DOJ) believes — at least based on available records — that the fugitive is still in the country.
“I’m not aware kung ano ‘yung intel report or the source of information ni Secretary Jonvic but from our sources, which we verified with the BI (Bureau of Immigration), wala kasi kaming records,” acting DOJ secretary Fredderick Vida told reporters on Wednesday, October 21.
(I’m not aware what is the intel report or the source of information of Secretary Jonvic but from our sources, which we verified with the BI, we don’t have any records.)
“So I cannot confirm that he is already out of the country kasi (because) we will rely based on what we have in immigration records, and based on immigration records, wala kaming record that he left (we don’t have records that he left),” Vida added.
This is possible, actually. If Ang indeed used backdoor exit points, then the immigration bureau would not have a record of his flight. There are alleged backdoor points in Palawan and in Mindanao, according to several reports.
Besides, Ang would and could not have used proper exit channels because it would have alerted authorities.
But whether or not Ang has already left the country, one thing remains unchanged: the police have failed and continue to fail to locate and arrest him.
The police, earlier this year, attempted to arrest him in Pasig City and in Zambales, but failed because he was not there. As of February, the DILG also raised the bounty for Ang’s arrest to P20 million, but to no avail.
So who’s answerable for these failures? Who will be held accountable by the Marcos government?
“Tingnan po natin at sa ngayon ay dapat malaman natin, maimbestigahan kung talagang may lapses. So, may mga tao talaga na mabibilis tumakbo at hindi naman ito ang unang pagkakataon na tumakas itong si Atong Ang. Noong unang nakasuhan din ito, nakaalpas din ito agad-agad,” said Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Wednesday.
(We’ll see and for now, we should find out, investigate if there are lapses. There are people who are good at escaping and this is not the first time that Atong Ang has escaped. When he was charged, he immediately fled.) – Rappler.com