Napolcom exec accuses Atong Ang of trying to save cops linked to 'missing sabungeros' case
Napolcom vice chairman and chief executive officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan and Napolcom director Esman Pares show the charge sheet against 12 policemen linked to the case of missing cockfighters whose bodies were allegedly dumped into the Taal Lake.
A top official of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) accused businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang of interfering on behalf of the policemen who were investigated for their involvement in the “missing sabungeros” case.
Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer Ralph Calinisan said Ang tried to save the policemen from being kicked out of the police service by tapping a person who is close to him.
He said Ang sent a message to him through a close friend on July 12 last year after Julie Patidongan filed a complaint against the policemen involved in the missing sabungeros.
“Atong Ang himself made that call to someone very close to me. The question is why did he tried to intervene in the case for the policemen? Why does he have an interest in this case that he himself called up a friend very close to me? That call says a lot,” said Calinisan.
Calinisan said such act raised serious concern over undue interest in the case as he stressed that the Napolcom remains impervious to pressure, regardless of wealth or influence.
Last year, Calinisan disclosed two groups sought to interfere with the Napolcom’s investigation involving 12 active members of the Philippine National Police (PNP)—the first one being a "sabong boss" and another linked to a local government executive.
Despite the intervention, he said the Napolcom’s Inspection Monitoring and Investigation Service still filed the Formal Charge against the respondent policemen on July 29 last year.
Recently, the Napolcom announced the dismissal from the police service of 11 police officers and recommended that the involved police general be dismissed from the service.
Calinisan emphasized that accountability is being enforced through evidence-based and due-process-driven proceedings.
Ang is currently in hiding for multiple cases of kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping with serious illegal detention. Arrest warrants were already issued against Ang by courts from Laguna and Batangas.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government has offered P10 million for any information that could lead to his arrest.
At least 14 areas were already raided to serve the arrest warrant. Police are currently verifying reports that he already fled to Cambodia.