Atong glad, sad to be home

Charlie "Atong" Ang, a close associate and adviser of deposed President Joseph Estrada, arrived yesterday under heavy security following his extradition from the United States, five years after fleeing the Philippines.

"I will face the music. I don’t really have a choice. I was away for so long," he told reporters on his way to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Ang, one of the co-accused in the plunder case against Estrada, arrived early morning on a Philippine Airlines (PR 103) flight from Los Angeles escorted by ranking officials of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

A contingent of heavily armed NBI agents picked up Ang from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and whisked him directly to the NBI main office in Manila for debriefing.

Ang, weary from the 17-hour flight from the US, was quickly handcuffed and made to don a bullet-proof vest as an added precaution over the reported threats on his life.

When asked how he felt coming home, the 48-year-old businessman replied that he was "both happy and sad."

Ang was later escorted to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez where they had a closed-door meeting.

Later in the afternoon, Ang faced reporters and said he has no plans of escaping, pointing out the threats on his life.

In an earlier interview on his flight home, Ang told ABS-CBN that he was nervous coming back and that he feared for his life.

He refused though to identify the people who wanted him killed.

"There are a lot of people who have warned me not to come home. A lot of people," he stressed. "I have an idea who they are."

Following the closed-door meeting with Ang, Gonzalez told a news conference that the threats are real.

Gonzalez claimed Ang mentioned some names to him but refused to identify them to the media.

"Yes (there is a threat). Definitely some people would be concerned because of the things that Atong Ang might have to say," Gonzalez said.

"I think they (those behind the threat) are serious considering the circumstances of all the information that he has been giving on other matters. Not necessarily on the issue of the plunder case, but on other cases that are still pending," he said.

Gonzalez said Ang wanted to be in the custody of the NBI "for his (Ang’s) safety."

He advised Ang to convey his wishes to the Sandiganbayan, which will make a ruling on where he should be detained.

Gonzalez clarified the Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over Ang since he is among the principal accused in the plunder case along with Estrada.

Under court procedures, the NBI has three days to turn over Ang to the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.

Gonzalez said Ang will stay in NBI custody for the weekend until the anti-graft court decides where to detain the businessman.

At the same time, Gonzalez stressed the government will not utilize Ang as a state witness against Estrada in the plunder case.

"There is no conversation about (him being a) state witness because, as I already said, there is no opportunity now to present him as a state witness in the plunder case," he said,

Gonzalez pointed out any testimony coming from Ang will not have any effect on the plunder case against Estrada, since the prosecution has already rested its case.

The former presidential adviser flew to Las Vegas with his family shortly after Estrada was ousted from office in a popular revolt in January 2001, triggered by the aborted impeachment trial on the allegations made by Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.

Singson had accused Ang of funneling tobacco tax kickbacks amounting to P130 million and illegal gambling payoffs to Estrada.

Malacañang, for the meantime, kept its distance on Ang’s arrival in the country.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the issue is better left to the discretion of the courts and the DOJ, which has jurisdiction over Ang.

"This is purely a legal situation, which we prefer the Department of Justice to respond to so we will not concern ourselves with this case since the principal case is already with the Sandiganbayan," Bunye said.

On the possibility that Ang might make exposés against the administration, Bunye replied: "This is something that we are not very concerned with."

Bunye assured Ang would be given ample protection because of the reported threats on his life.

"The concerned agencies are doing what is needed to be done to give protection to a possible witness. As to the sufficiency or the extent of the protection being accorded, we leave that to the good judgment of the agencies concerned," he said.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said Ang or any of his possible disclosures do not pose any immediate threat to national security.

"Whatever he (Ang) will say will be confined by the courts to the legal system. He is not considered as posing any threat," Gonzales said.

On the other hand, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said his family remains confident Ang would remain an ally contrary to reports that the businessman will spill the beans as his way out of the plunder case.

He said the plunder case against him and his father will not be reopened because of Ang.

"They (prosecution) have no evidence to present before the Sandiganbayan, that’s why they want to make a big issue out of the arrival of Ang," Estrada said.

A lot of questions

Ang lost a legal fight in September when a Nevada court ordered his extradition.

The former president, on the other hand, has been in detention for the past five years while the case was being heard in court. Both the prosecution and defense panels have closed their arguments, and the Sandiganbayan is expected to issue a verdict sometime this year.

Aside from the plunder case, officials said Ang will be asked about circumstances surrounding the disappearance of casino employee Edgar Bentain.

Ang gained notoriety when he was caught on video gambling with Estrada at the Casino Filipino at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City.

The tape became a controversial campaign material when it was released by former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairman Manuel Morato, who was running against Estrada in the 1998 presidential elections.

It became more controversial following the mysterious disappearance of Bentain, who was widely believed to have been Morato’s source of the video clip.

Secretary Gonzalez said Ang’s return to the country would help the government solve the mystery of Bentain’s disappearance.

Gonzalez said the DOJ would question Ang over the disappearance of Bentain, particularly the people behind the abduction.

Gonzalez also hinted Ang has some vital information surrounding the Kuratong Baleleng rubout controversy.

He claimed Ang has expressed willingness to submit a sworn statement over what he knows of the Bentain disappearance and the Kuratong Baleleng case.

"He (Ang) mentioned some cases like the Bentain disappearance, like the Kuratong," Gonzalez said.

"I think he is willing, but I don’t want to touch that at this time. I think he should first attend to his own problem, the case (of plunder) that was filed against him," he said.

Gonzalez said Ang’s statements could be good leads to pin down those responsible in the Bentain case and the supposed rubout of the Kuratong Baleleng robbery gang members.

"He (Ang) has revelations. I don’t think he is necessarily the key. But certainly, in order to have a break in the case, whatever his knowledge would be if corroborated by people whom he claims he knows, that would be very valuable," he said.

Gonzalez said there is high possibility of reopening both cases if the DOJ can validate the information provided by Ang.

This developed as the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), representing the Bentain family, urged the NBI to reopen the case.

VACC founding chairman Dante Jimenez said they would seek to revive the case and trace the circumstances behind the disappearance of the casino worker.

"He (Ang) knows a lot (about the case). A lot of names will come out including the mastermind, henchmen, and police officials involved," Jimenez said.

The long way home

After five years in hiding, Ang has finally returned home, but with his life on the balance and his reputation shot.

Facing the media following his 17-hour flight, the sleepy eyed Ang admitted having mixed emotions in coming home.

Ang was arrested at a Las Vegas hotel-casino in November 2001 following the arrest warrant issued by the Philippines on the charge of plunder.

He spent a year in US custody in a Las Vegas jail before being freed on $300,000 bail. He remained under house arrest until his extradition.

A close business associate and friend of Estrada, Ang was made consultant of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), despite his alleged involvement in several criminal activities.

He allegedly helped Estrada run a gambling protection racket, much to the chagrin of Singson, a self-confessed gambling lord.

NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Service Reynaldo Esmeralda, one of those who fetched Ang in the US, said he noticed the businessman was quiet throughout their 17-hour flight back to Manila.

"He was feeling sad and nervous, he was having mixed emotions particularly since he was not allowed by the US Marshals to say goodbye to his family at the Tom Bradley International Airport in Los Angeles," Esmeralda said.

He added, "Ang was probably thinking of what will happen to him."

Esmeralda narrated that just before boarding the flight to Manila, Ang’s family was already waiting for him at the check-in counter of the airport.

But the US authorities kept Ang inside a vehicle and when they got hold of his boarding pass, he was immediately taken to the tarmac and inside the airplane where Esmeralda and NBI Interpol Division chief Claro Castro Jr. were waiting for him.

Ang was turned over to the NBI officials in handcuffs by three US Marshals. One of them is Reuben Bugtong, a Benguet native who is now a US citizen.

Since Ang’s passport was canceled in 2001, the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles issued a one-page travel document for Ang last Nov. 3.

On his trip home, Ang’s belongings were placed inside two balikbayan boxes and he was only allowed to wear a belt bag on the plane.

Esmeralda said they were initially given economy class seats on the plane, but after talking to some PAL officials they were upgraded to business class to make their travel more comfortable.

The NBI spent $579.50 for a one-way ticket for Ang. He was assigned a window seat with the two NBI officials seating beside him.

As the plane touched down at NAIA at 6:01 a.m. Ang was immediately whisked away from the airport to the NBI main .

The NBI prepared a convoy where Ang was escorted by about 50 heavily armed NBI operatives.

Esmeralda explained that they had to implement strict security because Ang had claimed that there were threats against his life.

"Eh kung masingitan, responsibility namin yan. We want to make sure he is safe," he said. -With Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero, Marvin Sy, Michael Punongbayan, AP, AFP