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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Two relatives of a 'missing sabungero' deny out-of-court settlement with Atong Ang

Two relatives of a 'missing sabungero' deny out-of-court settlement with Atong Ang

Published Jul 18, 2026 09:06 am
An inter-agency search and retrieval operation is conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), and Department of Justice (DOJ) at the Taal Lake in Talisay, Batangas on July 10, 2025 to locate the remains of 34 missing sabungeros believed to have been killed and dumped in the lake. (Santi San Juan / MANILA BULLETIN)
An inter-agency search and retrieval operation is conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), and Department of Justice (DOJ) at the Taal Lake in Talisay, Batangas on July 10, 2025 to locate the remains of 34 missing sabungeros believed to have been killed and dumped in the lake. (Santi San Juan / MANILA BULLETIN)
Two family members of one of the "missing sabungeros" denied the allegation that they received money in exchange for dropping their case against businessman and now fugitive Charlie “Atong” Ang.
In a separate counter-affidavits they filed to the Department of Justice on July 17, Jocelyn dela Cruz and Cristy Ladao said there was no intention of out-of-court settlement when they and other relatives of missing sabungeros met with Ang’s lawyer Caroline Cruz.
Ladao was the live-in partner of cockfight enthusiast Johnver Francisco who went missing in 2021. The couple have two children. Dela Cruz, on the other is the mother of Johnver.
Both Ladao and Dela Cruz are respondents to a case of obstruction of justice filed by a group of relatives of missing sabungeros.
The case stemmed from early reports that Ang’s lawyer gave money to the relatives of the missing sabungeros who met her.
Ang’s lawyer denied the allegation and said the financial aid was out of her own pocket after sensing that they needed financial assistance to defray legal expenses for the cases they filed.
The alleged negotiation for the dropping of the case was also denied by Ang’s camp.
Both Ladao and Dela Cruz were accused of receiving money in exchange for the dropping of the case they filed.
But in their counter-affidavits, they said that despite the financial assistance given, there was no demand or any request made by Cruz so far in exchange for what were given to them.
“There was no request or order either not to attend the hearing or stop our goal of seeking justice in exchange for the assistance,” said Ladao in her affidavit.
Both Ladao and Dela Cruz confirmed meeting with Ang's lawyer Caroline Cruz in March and April this year, adding that they were the ones who arranged the meetings.
They said the first meeting was on March 4 and they were joined by another missing sabungero relative. A second meeting was then set two days later wherein more relatives attended, including Ma. Theresa Japag.
Japag was among the complainants in the obstruction of justice case against Dela Cruz, Ladao, Cruz and two other individuals now pending before the DOJ.
Ladao said she was an observer during the March 6 meeting and was later surprised when she was charged with obstruction of justice.
She then claimed that her accusers failed to mention in the affidavit that it was their accusers who were allegedly demanding huge sum of money.

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missing sabungeros Atong Ang
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