The manhunt for Charlie “Atong’’ Ang will continue despite the claim of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation that the fugitive gambling magnate is not in Cambodia, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) assured.
DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic’’ Remulla insisted that authorities will keep up with the search as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) gets information about Ang’s whereabouts almost daily.
Julie Patindongan, the star witness in the missing “sabungero’’ (cockfight enthusiasts) case gave information that his former boss Ang is hiding in Cambodia.
Patindongan is the ex-right hand man of Ang.
Remulla said that justice will eventually be served to the 100 missing “sabungeros’’ as all elements of the Philippine national Police (PNP) are actively searching and relentlessly tracking down Ang.
In a statement, the Immigration General Department under Cambodia’s Ministry of the Interior stated that authorities found no record of Ang’s entry or exit at any Cambodian border checkpoint.
“There is no record of Charlie Tiu Hay Ang’s (Atomng Ang) entry or exit at any Cambodian border checkpoints,” the statement read.
The Cambodian government noted the clarification was issued to counter recent media reports claiming Ang may be hiding in the country, following information that a team of Philippine police officers had been dispatched to search for him.
Previously, the DILG admitted that the strong connections of Ang to various government agencies and influential officials have been a major stumbling block to his arrest.
Remulla lamented that it is extremely difficult to get the services of trusted government comrades with his estimated P1 billion a day earnings for five years in on-line gambling.
“Pinakamahirap na bahagi ng trabaho ko yung penetration niya sa lahat ng hanay ng gobyerno. Sa dami ng pera niya ang hirap maghanap ngayon ng katiwala na bigyan ka ng solid na trabaho para mahanap siya (The most difficult part of my job is his “penetration’’ in all of the government agencies. With his huge wealth, it is even tougher now for a partner to provide you with solid work),’’ Remulla said.
Likewise, Remulla explained that the country’s “porous’’ southern border section that is nearer to Malaysia has been a big challenge in arresting Ang.
“Meron kasi tayong porous na southern border yung mas malapit sa Malaysia. Doon kasi pump boat lang makakatawid ka na. Doon nga isang munisipyo doon ang currency nila ringgit (Malaysian currency) kaysa peso kasi ang trade nila mas malaki sa Malaysia kaysa sa Pilipinas (We (Philippines) have a porous part in the southern border that is nearer to Malaysia. In that area, you can cross by means of a pump boat. There is even a municipality that uses ringgit as the currency instead of peso since their trade is much more profitable in Malaysia than the Philippines),’’ he added.
Remulla has pondered on raising the P10 million reward money for Ang’s arrest, acknowledging that his patience is thinning and may actually increase the current bounty for any information leading to his arrest.
He assured that anybody who can give the particulars and pertinent details leading directly to Ang’s arrest will get the P10 million without any questions being asked.
A visibly irked Remulla branded Ang as the country’s top most wanted person, being his alleged involvement in the killing of more than 100 missing “sabungeros.’’
Patidongan claimed that Ang will not submit himself to authorities, noting that the businessman is “not an ordinary person.”
“International ang kanyang grupo (His group is international),’’ Patidongan said.
If Patidongan’s declaration is accurate, Remulla said that Ang may have used backdoor channels to leave the country.
For the record, Remulla explained that the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Ang did not pass through the country’s airports and ports of entry and ports of exit.