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Missing sabungeros’ kin want Atong Ang to surrender
With an arrest warrant now issued against Charlie "Atong" Ang, some families of the missing sabungeros are publicly calling on him to surrender.
Among them is Charlene Lasco Biligán, the sister of one of the missing sabungeros, Ricardo "Jonjon" Ricafort Lasco Jr.
Biligán directly addressed Ang, urging him to face the charges. “Sumuko na po kayo. Sumuko na kayo kasi sinabi naman na wala kayong kasalanan. Dito niyo patunayan kung talagang wala kayong kasalanan. Napakarami niyo pong abogado, napakarami pong magde-depensa sa inyo. Sa totoo lang ang ganda ng laban niyo, binigyan kayo ng pagkakataon para idepensa sarili niyo,” she said.
(Please surrender. Surrender because you say you are innocent. Here you can prove if you truly have done nothing wrong. You have so many lawyers, so many people who will defend you. In truth you have a good chance because you have been given the opportunity to defend yourself.)
Fighting back tears, she added: “Pero ang magkakaanak namin, bigla na lang sila nawala. Wala silang pagkakataon na idepensa sarili nila, pero sige lang ,laban kami.”
(But our loved ones, they are suddenly gone. They had no chance to defend themselves. But we will fight on.)
A businessman and a prominent but controversial figure in Philippine gambling circles, Ang is accused of involvement in the disappearance of several cockfighting enthusiasts in recent years.
Some families of the missing cockfighting agents said they are holding back from celebrating despite the issuance of the arrest warrant.
“Masaya kami, there’s reason to celebrate, yet today hindi pa naman nakukuha si Atong Ang. Magandang move ito pero ang ultimate diyan makukuha ba natin today,” Biligán said.
The arrest warrant issued against Ang and several other accused currently covers the disappearance of sabungeros in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
However, this does not yet include the case of Biligán's brother Jonjon Lasco, who was a master agent of the online sabong company owned by Ang. He was abducted in San Pablo, Laguna on August 30, 2021.
CCTV footage showed Lasco being taken by unidentified men.
He was positively identified by his family in the video shared by the case’s principal witness, Julie "Dondon" Patidongan, who earlier surfaced and provided testimony about the abductions.
Relatives of other missing sabungeros said the arrest warrant is a step forward—but still far from enough. “Pero kulang, kulang pa dahil ang gusto natin lahat ng sangkot, mapanagot din so, ayon dun sa testimonoya din ni Dondon Patidogan, ang gusto ng pamilya, ang gusto natin, lahat ng andun na pinangalanan dun sa 'alpha list' na tinatwag at ma-indict din sana,” said Ted Lazaro, spokesperson of Justice for Missing Sabungeros.
(It's still not enough, because we want everyone involved according to Dondon Patidongan's account to be held accountable, all those on the so-called 'alpha list' to be indicted.)
The families of the rest of the missing sabungeros are expected to face the media on Thursday, saying they are hopeful more suspects will be arrested as they have submitted additional evidence against those they believe are behind the disappearances. — BM, GMA Integrated News
