Atong Ang's legal team to file motion to quash arrest warrant
Published Jan 16, 2026 10:49 am
Atong Ang and Atty. Lorna Kapunan arrive at the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor's Office to file charges against Julie “Dondon” Patidongan alias “Totoy” and Alan Bantiles alias “Brown” for accusing Ang as the mastermind behind the disappearance of the missing sabungeros. (Photo from JourNolan Facebook page)
The legal team of businessman Charlie “Atong” will file an Omnibus Motion to quash the warrant of arrest issued by a Laguna trial court in relation to the “missing sabungeros” case.
Lawyer Gabriel Villareal argued that the court’s issuance of an arrest order was done in haste and violates his client’s rights because the Department of Justice transmitted incomplete information.
The information submitted by the DOJ, he said, was used by the court in its determination of probable cause which later became the basis for the issuance of arrest warrants against Ang and 17 other people, including nine policemen.
Ang's defense team is expected to file the motion on Friday, Jan. 16.
“We hope that the court will set the hearing on their motion next week,” said Villareal.
Ang is the only person named in the arrest warrant who remains at large. All the 17 ther accused were arrested hours after the arrest warrant was received by the Philippine National Police on Jan. 14.
He is facing charges of kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping with serious illegal detention.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) considered him as the number one most wanted in the country and offered P10 million for his arrest.
And in order to focus on the legal aspects of the case, Villareal said he will temporarily make himself unavailable for media interviews.
“So as not to jeopardize all legal remedies that we, Mr. Ang’s lawyers, would exhaust in the coming days for his benefit, I would rather limit my pronouncements to those contained in the media releases that we will be issuing regularly from here on,” Villareal said.
But he said his office will regularly issue press statements when necessary to provide updates on important developments in the case.
Apart from being Ang’s lead counsel, Villareal also serves as his client’s spokesman.
But he said the efforts being extended by various media outfits and journalists covering the case to get their side of the story are something that Ang and his camp "very much appreciate."
“I will make myself available to our friends from the media as soon as we know that our client’s needs have been addressed. Our undivided time should be focused on protecting his interests at this point,” Villareal said.