Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Friday said the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs will summon businessman Atong Ang to its inquiry into the disappearance of the 31 cockfight enthusiasts next week.
Dela Rosa, chair of the Senate public order panel, disclosed the matter during an online press conference, as he sought more answers to questions regarding online cockfighting.
“We are going to conduct another hearing next week wherein we will invite every name that was mentioned during the hearing but were not invited by the panel last meeting,” said Dela Rosa during the online interview.
“Pati si Atong Ang, iimbitahin natin Siya ang may-ari nitong tatlong arena kung saan nawawala ‘yung mga tao (We will invite even Atong Ang. He owns the three arenas where the persons were last seen), ” said Dela Rosa.
It was one of the sister of the missing victims who first mentioned Ang’s name during the initial hearing on Thursday. She cited the video where the businessman was seen “warning” so-called “double agents” in his employ whom he accused of stealing videos from his cockfighting firm Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc. and posting these on another website supposedly to solicit bets illegally.
But his lawyer, Angelo Niño Santos, denied during the hearing that the company resorts to any illegal activities when they deal with delinquent personnel and said the video of Ang was only a reminder and “not a threat.”
When asked if Ang can be considered a suspect, Dela Rosa said: “From top to bottom, on the matter of, e-sabong, pwedeng maging suspect (he can be considered a suspect).”
According to Dela Rosa, the panel previously invited Ang to attend the first hearing but “declined due to health reasons.”
Dela Rosa, however, said what Ang said in the video “can be considered as circumstantial evidence.”
“Because right after his threat—we treat that as a threat—or warning, or advise, right after that, may mga nawawalang sabungero (the cockfight players started going missing),” he pointed out.
The lawmaker said they expect Ang to be present during the second hearing.
The members of the Senate panel on Thursday have agreed to issue a resolution calling for the suspension of “e-sabong” operations and licenses until the cases of the missing cockfight players have been resolved.