Atong Ang took business class trip with Revilla

It was nothing but business class for Charlie "Atong" Ang onboard Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight PR 103 some seats away from administration Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. Under existing extradition rules, the Philippines should pay the tab for Ang's airfare. Three agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) accompanied him on the same cabin. During the 12-hour plus flight from Los Angeles to Manila, Ang received words of encouragement from Revilla who "coincidentally" was on the same flight. "We were all in business class. I saw a jacket covering his hands. I assumed he was handcuffed, though I am not familiar with the case against him," Revilla said in Filipino during an interview on dzRH radio. Administration critics have raised fears that Ang would be used against his former gambling buddy, deposed President Joseph Estrada, in the latter's plunder trial before the Sandiganbayan. Ang, however, denied upon his arrival Friday that he has been offered to turn state witness on the case, wherein he is a co-accused with Estrada. "I did not give him any advice. But I told him to pray. I told him all of us go through trials, and God does not give us problems we cannot overcome," Revilla said. Revilla said he went to the United States to have his back examined by doctors. He said he "pitied" Ang because he felt the physical difficulties Ang felt while being handcuffed all throughout the flight back to the Philippines. According to current lowest fare rates on the PAL website, a one-way trip from Los Angeles to Manila costs $1,111.50 (P55,519.45) inclusive of taxes for a single adult on business class. Unrestricted rates, meanwhile, were placed at $1,999.50 (P99,875.02) inclusive of taxes. Rules vary depending on the trip and promo period for business class, but lowest fare rates are generally limited to non-reroutable flights using non-refundable tickets with shorter validity periods. Unrestricted rates are more flexible with such conditions. Meanwhile, a lowest fare one-way ticket on economy class now costs about $580 (P28,971). Section 2 Article 17 of the US-Philippines Extradition Treaty states that, "The Requesting State shall bear expenses related to ... the transportation of the person surrendered." The treaty was signed on Nov. 13, 1994 and took effect two years later on Nov. 22, 1996. A US court ordered Ang deported after he was arrested in Nevada in 2001 upon the request of the Philippine government.-GMANews.TV