Court admits Atong Ang for probation

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed that Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang is qualified to seek relief from his six-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to a lesser offense of corruption of public officials in relation to indirect bribery. Ang is a co-accused in the plunder case against former President Joseph Estrada, In a single-page order issued late Thursday, the graft court’s special division declared that Ang’s petition for probation was in order and directed the Chief Probation Officer of Quezon City to conduct a post-sentence investigation. The court gave the probation officer 60 days to complete his evaluation and submit a report with recommendations. “It appearing that the accused (Ang) does not possess the disqualifications enumerated under Section 9 of Presidential Decree No. 968 (Probation Law of 1976) and considering that the prosecution does not interpose any objection thereto and merely submits the same to the Court’s discretion, the above-mentioned petition for probation is hereby given due course," the court said. Aside from probation, Ang is also seeking release from detention through bail. As a co-defendant in plunder, Ang was accused of helping Estrada amass P4.1 billion in ill-gotten wealth by setting up an illegal gambling protection racket and diverting at least P130 million of tobacco excise tax funds that was earmarked for the province of Ilocos Sur. Ang, a former consultant of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) under the Estrada administration, admitted all charges imputed against him and has paid back P25 million which he owned up to having pocketed during delivery of tobacco excise funds to the former president. By signing a plea bargain deal with the government, Ang evaded prosecution for plunder which carries a penalty of life sentence. Pending resolution of his petitions for bail and for probation, Ang remains detained at the Metro Manila District Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. - GMANews.TV