DOJ: No arrest warrant vs Atong Ang, others in missing sabungeros case

A senior official of the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Tuesday that no arrest warrants have been issued against businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang and several others indicted in connection with the disappearance of missing sabungeros.

This was according to DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez, who said that as of 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Regional Trial Courts (RTC) in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, and Lipa City, Batangas, have yet to release the warrants against Ang and his co-accused.

On the other hand, a case filed with the RTC in San Pablo, Laguna, is still pending raffle to a specific branch.

This is despite the DOJ recently indicting Ang and 21 others on multiple counts of kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping with serious illegal detention.

In indicting Ang and the others, prosecutors said they found prima facie evidence with a reasonable certainty of conviction to proceed with the charges, which stem from the disappearance of several “sabungeros.”

They allege that Ang exercised command responsibility over the abductions by claiming the victims were abducted for allegedly cheating during cockfight events.

Atty. Gabriel Villareal, Ang’s legal counsel, has since condemned the DOJ resolution, describing it as “deeply flawed and grossly unfair.”

The defense lawyer argued that the prosecution panel relied almost exclusively on the testimony of a single whistleblower, Julie Patidongan.

The said witness triggered a breakthrough in the case after he revealed what he knew about the missing sabungeros.

The government then began searching for the victims in Taal Lake after Patidongan claimed they were dumped into the water.

So far, the Philippine Coast Guard continues its technical diving operations, hoping to retrieve some remains of the victims.