Cops face delays while serving arrest warrant at Atong Ang's house in Pasig

Authorities were hampered from immediately serving the warrant of arrest against businessman Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang at his residence in Pasig City.

According to Oscar Oida’s Wednesday report on “24 Oras,” tension grew as an employee did not initially allow the team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) enter the house despite showing a copy of the arrest warrant.

A regional trial court in Sta. Cruz, Laguna has issued a warrant of arrest against Atong Ang and 17 other individuals in connection with a kidnapping with homicide case, a non-bailable offense under Philippine law.

After around 10 minutes, authorities put up a ladder in front of the gate, but the gate remained closed.

A lawyer of Ang arrived and asked authorities to let her into the house first before they entered.

Before the police were allowed to go inside, the lawyer asked for a list of their names and their identification.

Police Colonel John Guiagui, CIDG National Capital Region chief, said the lawyer was delaying the operation, adding that they have body-worn cameras and alternative recording devices.

However, the lawyer replied that she was just making sure that the operation was conducted properly.

Four police officers and a barangay official entered the house and looked around for nearly an hour but they failed to locate Ang.

Ang’s lawyer, meanwhile, accepted the arrest warrant against the businessman.

“Sad to say wala po tayong nakita dito hinalughog po natin lahat ng pwede niya pagtaguan mula sa basement up to the highest floor even the rooftop is inakyat namin so wala tayo nakita na presence ni ang,” Guiagui said.

(Sad to say that we did not find him despite searching from the basement to the highest floor, and even the rooftop.)

“‘Di nagtatapos dito lahat ng pwede niya pagtaguan lahat ng properties niya na alam namin ay pupuntahan ng kapulisan,” he added.

(Our search does not end here. We will look for him in every possible place he could be hiding.) — Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News