Atong Ang tags Aguirre in death threats over gambling ops; Aguirre denies allegation

Gambling operator Charlie "Atong" Ang on Thursday claimed that he has received death threats and linked Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and other government officials to these.

In a report on "24 Oras," Ang said he received the threats because of the continued operation of virtual jai-alai numbers game through Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation, where he serves as consultant and general manager.

Ang said he also received threats from certain police officials surnamed Uyami and Corpus.

A separate newspaper report said Ang also linked National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon and some members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1982 to the alleged kill plot.

Ang claimed that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office wants Meridien's operations stopped because of conflicts with small-town lottery (STL). He further alleged that Aguirre and his engineer sibling Ogie Aguirre controlled STL operations from Batangas to Bicol.

Ang added that a congressman, whom he refused to identify, was Aguirre's bagman in the Cabinet official's home province in Quezon.

Ang said Uyami and Corpus, meanwhile, control STL operations in northern regions.

Esperon, on the other hand, allegedly demanded a cut from STL operations in Pangasinan.

Ang supposedly got the information that officials wanted him killed from sources among police and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation who were ordered to execute his killing.

"Complete fabrications"

Aguirre on Friday dismissed Ang's allegations as "complete fabrications."

"I categorically deny all the accusations of Atong Ang for being complete fabrications. I am ready to face any kind of investigation that might be conducted, be it legislative, criminal or administrative," Aguirre said in a statement.

"I am not afraid as I have nothing to hide. My conscience is clear," he added.

He said Ang was "imagining things" for claiming that he had directed the NBI to kill him.

Aguirre also denied that he and his brother were involved in illegal gambling as he challenged Ang to file charges in court.

"I know he cannot because there is absolutely no truth to his accusation," he said.

Aguirre believes the accusations against him are part of a demolition job "in conspiracy with the destabilizers of the Duterte administration."

The Cabinet official is currently on a study tour in the United States with the Judicial and Bar Council, of which he is an ex-officio member.

He is set to return to the country on April 30.

In February, Ang testified before a Senate panel investigating a bribery scandal allegedly involving Bureau of Immigration officials and casino operator Jack Lam.

Aguirre was also called into the probe, but was ultimately cleared of involvement.

"What is the reason for the allegations for Mr. Atong Ang against me? It is simple, I believe that his accusation is his way of getting back at me after I ordered the raid of Fontana Leisure Park that busted the billion-peso online illegal gambling operation that was being conducted thereat by his business partner and best friend Jack Lam," Aguirre said.

Aguirre said records of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) would show that Ang is the "attorney-in-fact" of Jack Lam in the latter's effort to settle his P13 billion in liabilities to the government.

If there is anybody who could be accused of being engaged or being a protector of illegal gambling, Aguirre said it should be Ang because Meridien Vista is allegedly conducting gambling operations without paying the proper taxes due to the government.

"Before the reorganization of PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office), I, as a member of the ad hoc committee formed to streamline and improve PCSO operations, have identified Meridien as engaged in illegal gambling," Aguirre said.

"As a matter of fact, it was not given a franchise to operate as Small Town Lottery unit by PCSO and is a target for closure by the latter," he said. —with Anna Felicia Bajo/JST/KG/KBK, GMA News