Fugitive gambling magnate Charlie “Atong’’ Ang remains elusive as authorities failed to locate him during the 10 search operations conducted last week, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) admitted on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic’’ Remulla explained that the series of raids were carried out based on intelligence reports but authorities still failed to see Ang at the target sites.
However, Remulla remained optimistic that Ang will eventually be apprehended, promising that the search will remain relentless and further intensified.
Previously Ang’s right hand man Julie Patindongan, the star witness in the missing “sabungero’’ (cockfight enthusiasts) case gave information that his former boss is hiding in Cambodia.
But the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation brushed off Patingdongan’s claim and told the Philippine government that Ang is not in Cambodia.
Remulla said that authorities still believed that Ang remains in the country despite earlier reports that he may have left the Philippines.
The DILG chief admitted that Ang’s influence and strong connections to various government agencies has been a major stumbling block to his arrest.
He lamented the extreme difficulty to get the services of trusted government comrades with Ang’s 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 raised to P20 million the reward money for Ang’s arrest for any information leading to his arrest, acknowledging that his patience is thinning.