Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said he remains confident that fugitive gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang is still in the Philippines despite claims that he may have already left the country.
Speaking to reporters in an ambush interview, Vida said he was unaware of the basis for Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s intelligence report suggesting that Ang had fled abroad.
Vida said the Bureau of Immigration has no confirmed record indicating that Ang had departed the country, adding that authorities have yet to obtain definite information proving he is no longer in the Philippines.
Despite Remulla’s statement, the justice chief maintained his belief that Ang remains in the country, while clarifying that he was not contradicting the interior secretary’s remarks.
Ang is facing charges of kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping with serious illegal detention in connection with the disappearance of several cockfighting enthusiasts, locally known as “sabungeros.”
The Philippine National Police issued a wanted poster for Ang in January 2026 and offered a P10 million reward for information leading to his arrest.# (TAMMY QUIBRAL)
