The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday confirmed that a Laguna court has issued a warrant of arrest for businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang, prompting the deployment of police teams to locate him.

PNP Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the warrant, issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 26 in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, covers Ang’s non-bailable kidnapping with homicide case linked to the disappearance of several cockfight enthusiasts, or sabungeros.

“Dedicated PNP teams have already been dispatched,” Nartatez said, adding that authorities have identified multiple locations where Ang may be found. Some individuals named in the court order are already under restrictive custody at the PNP, with 10 to 11 police personnel ordered to surrender to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Nartatez emphasized that officers will strictly follow procedures in serving the warrant. Court records show the order, dated 13 January and signed by Presiding Judge Mary Jean Cajandab-Ong, directs arresting officers to use at least one body-worn camera and one alternative recording device, in line with Supreme Court rules.

Ang faces kidnapping and kidnapping with homicide charges before three Regional Trial Courts — in Lipa City, Batangas, and Sta. Cruz and San Pablo in Laguna — over the disappearance of as many as 100 sabungeros, most presumed dead.

Families welcome development

Families of the missing sabungeros welcomed the warrant as a major step toward accountability.

“The issuance of a warrant of arrest against Atong Ang is an important step toward the justice we have long been fighting for,” they said, noting that while not all alleged participants have been covered by warrants, they remain hopeful.

“Even if justice is delayed, it can never be denied,” they added, thanking witnesses and law enforcement officers who helped advance the case.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) had earlier issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (LBO) to prevent Ang from leaving the country. Following the arrest warrant, prosecutors are expected to seek a Hold Departure Order (HDO) to ensure all accused remain in the Philippines.

Ang’s legal team pushes back

Ang’s lead counsel, Atty. Gabriel Villareal, criticized the Laguna court’s issuance of the warrant as “premature” and “legally questionable,” arguing it ignored Ang’s constitutional rights and relied solely on incomplete DoJ information.

“Clearly, the court acted without counter affidavits or exculpatory evidence from Mr. Ang and other respondents,” Villareal said, citing Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution and Supreme Court rulings in Roberts vs Court of Appeals and Soliven vs Makasiar.

Villareal vowed to exhaust all legal remedies, assuring that Ang “will continue to respect the authority of the court and submit himself to legal processes.” He maintained Ang’s innocence, blaming whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan as the “real mastermind” and accusing the DoJ of bias for relying solely on Patidongan’s testimony without physical evidence.

“This case was built in haste, using our client as a sacrificial lamb to shield the real culprit,” Villareal said, adding that they will continue to pursue all available remedies.

From Senate hearings to manhunt

Ang last appeared publicly in 2025 during Senate hearings on the “missing sabungeros” case. He denied any involvement in the abductions, insisting his e-sabong and gaming ventures operated legally with proper security and compliance measures.

His lawyers welcomed the filing of murder and related charges at the time, seeing it as an opportunity to “clear his name” in court. Shortly after, Ang dropped out of public view and was later tagged as a fugitive following the issuance of non-bailable warrants for kidnapping with homicide.

Case that shocked the public

The disappearance of the cockfight enthusiasts began in 2022 amid the online cockfighting boom. Public attention surged after Patidongan, also known as “Totoy,” came forward claiming knowledge of where victims’ bodies were dumped in Taal Lake. He alleged that up to 100 people were killed over match-fixing, naming Ang as the mastermind — a claim Ang repeatedly denied.

Online cockfighting grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing bettors to place wagers through mobile devices. The livestreaming of cockfights was banned before the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term in 2022.