Warrant vs Atong out before Christmas?

MANILA, Philippines — Following the filing of kidnapping cases against gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang and several others, the Philippine National Police is waiting for the issuance of arrest warrants by at least four regional trial courts, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said yesterday.

The cases – 10 counts of kidnapping with homicide and 16 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention – are all related to the disappearance of cockfight enthusiasts or sabungeros in 2022.

Raphael Niccolo Martinez, Department of Justice spokesperson, said the DOJ filed the cases on Dec. 19 before the Regional Trial Courts in Lipa City, Batangas and in Sta. Cruz and San Pablo City, both in Laguna.

“He (Ang) has four cases filed in different courts along with 31 others, the policemen,” Remulla said in an interview on ANC yesterday. “Gretchen Baretto is not among the accused. Whoever issues (the warrant) first, we have reason to arrest him already.”

Remulla said Ang is considered armed and dangerous.

“When you arrest someone who you know or has a record of making forced disappearances, who travels around with three cars and 15 bodyguards at the minimum, all heavily armed, then you must consider him armed and dangerous. You must consider the possibility they will put up a fight,” Remulla said.

He assured the public that an arrest would not lead to extra-judicial killing, as he expressed optimism that the warrants will be issued before Christmas.

Martinez said it is up to the courts to decide whether there is probable cause to issue the warrants, as he cited the DOJ resolution on Dec. 9 finding “prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction” against Ang and the other accused, which include several police officers.

Investigation on the cases gained headway after whistleblower Julie “Don-Don” Patidongan named Ang as the mastermind behind the disappearance and killing of over 100 cockfight enthusiasts.

Patidongan said the sabungeros were accused of cheating in cockfight games and were killed through strangulation. Their bodies were dumped in Taal Lake, he said.

Ang’s lawyer Gabriel Villareal earlier slammed the DOJ resolution as “deeply flawed and grossly unfair,” for supposedly relying heavily on Patidongan’s testimony.