Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla disclosed on Thursday, April 16, that fugitive gambling magnate Charlie “Atong” Ang narrowly escaped arrest in the Calabarzon region.
Remulla said Ang travels with small groups—about three people at a time—moving from one place to another every three days.
He noted that Ang was spotted in Region 4-A less than two weeks ago, but authorities failed to apprehend him, arriving a day too late.
The secretary confirmed that Ang was seen in person during the near arrest, describing it as an “eyeball contact.”
“Immediately, we conducted follow-up operations. We missed him. The last report confirmed he was here in the Philippines. I was personally part of the raiding team. I went myself, but we did not catch him,” Remulla said.
He admitted that Ang’s influence and strong connections within government agencies remain major obstacles to his capture.
“The hardest part of my job is dealing with his penetration into all levels of government. With the amount of money he has, it’s difficult to find trustworthy people who can give solid work to locate him,” Remulla added.
Ang went missing after a court issued an arrest warrant against him for cases involving the disappearance of cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungeros), kidnapping with serious illegal detention, and kidnapping with homicide—all non-bailable offenses.
A ₱20 million reward has been offered for information leading to Ang’s arrest. (Chito Chavez)
