Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr., acting chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has approved the revocation of the registration of the firearms owned by businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang amid the ongoing manhunt in relation to the issuance of arrest warrant over the "missing sabungeros" case.
Nartatez approved the recommendation as part of the ongoing operation to locate and arrest Ang known for his gaming businesses, according to Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II.
Morico said there were six firearms registered under Ang based on the records of the PNP-Firearms and Explosive Office (FEO) and all of the licenses must be cancelled.
“To further facilitate the manhunt operation, we have recommended to the Chief PNP, the revocation of the firearm license of Mr. Atong Ang which the Chief PNP approved,” said Morico.
“We have already communicated with his lawyers. And they were mandated to surrender this firearms at the FEO,” he added.
Ang is the only accused who is still at large. His 17 co-accused who were ordered arrested by the Laguna court were already collared hours after the arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Police tracker teams and intelligence agents were already deployed and Morico said Ang is still in the country based on their monitoring.
And to expand the manhunt, Morico said they already requested for the inclusion of Ang in the Red Notice of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
“We have already requested for an Interpol Red Notice so that in case that he is able to leave the country through the back door, countries that are members of the Interpol would arrest him,” said Morico.
“We are also coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration for the hold departure order,” he added.
Morico said they also recommended the inclusion of Ang in the most wanted list by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In response, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said a P10 million reward from the department’s intelligence fund will be offered for any information that could lead to the arrest of Ang.
He said they also consider Ang as the country’s most wanted and also classified him as armed and dangerous.