Counsel denies Ang role in alleged sabungeros case settlement

Businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang’s lawyer on Thursday strongly questioned the handling of evidence and denied allegations linking his client to attempts at settling cases involving the disappearance of cockfighting enthusiasts.

Atty. Gabriel Villareal told reporters that respondents, including Ang, received incomplete documents from the police and prosecutors, which delayed their ability to answer the charges.

He said that while seven folders of evidence were turned over, these did not include the corresponding USB drives that allegedly contained videos and statements, including one cited by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

“The subpoena served to us was incomplete. Out of seven USBs identified in the annexes, only two were included. The rest were just photocopies of the USBs, without the actual data,” Villareal said. “How can we respond properly if the evidence itself is missing?”

Villareal added that delays in the investigation were largely due to complainants only recently swearing their affidavits before the prosecutor. Among those who affirmed their statements this week was Julie Patidongan.

On separate allegations that Ang had sought to fix cases pending before the Manila Regional Trial Court, Villareal pointed out that Ang is not even an accused in those cases. He stressed that the complainant in one such case, identified as “Silarta,” had charged Patidongan and her co-accused — not Ang.

He said he was surprised to hear Ang being blamed for fixing cases where he is not even an accused. “The ones with motive to settle are the accused themselves, especially since Patidongan’s bail was already reversed by the court,” he said.

The lawyer explained that if the reversal stands, Patidongan risks being sent back to jail, giving her and her co-accused a strong incentive to negotiate. “Why would Ang attempt to settle when he is not even charged? It is the accused who stand to benefit from any compromise,” he added.

Villareal warned that moves to reopen or reinvestigate long-running cases could undermine years of proceedings since the complaints were first filed in 2022. He also alleged that efforts to pin the controversy on Ang may be part of a “modus operandi” by those actually facing charges.

“They put other people’s names forward to cover their own wrongdoing,” Villareal said.

Villareal attended the start of the preliminary investigation into the missing “sabungereros” case, which has remained unresolved for more than three years. Families of the victims continue to call for accountability, though Ang did not attend the proceedings.