Batangas court issues arrest warrant vs. Atong Ang

Another warrant of arrest for kidnapping with homicide was issued against businessman Charlie "Atong" Ang and several others over the missing sabungeros case, this time by a regional trial court in Lipa, Batangas.

The Lipa Regional Trial Court Branch 13 said the case is not bailable.

Earlier this week, a Laguna court issued arrest warrants against Ang and others.

The Philippine National Police started implementing the warrant on Wednesday.

READ: Who is Atong Ang?

Meanwhile, the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has requested the issuance of an Interpol red notice against Ang.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has announced a P10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Ang.

Premature?

Ang’s lawyer, Atty. Gabriel Villareal, previously described the Laguna court's decision as “premature” and “legally questionable,” as it supposedly failed to meet the constitutional standards that should have been observed under the circumstances.

“Clearly, the court merely acted on the incomplete and one-sided information provided by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in its determination of probable cause, without having even seen the counter affidavits and exculpatory evidence of the respondents, including that of Mr. Ang,” Villareal said.

He added that the action violates Ang’s rights and is constitutionally infirm, adding that they will exhaust all available legal remedies to give Ang the opportunity to challenge the arrest order.

“Even as we regret that the court has apparently chosen to disregard our plea for fairness and observance of the tenets of due process, we will continue to avail of the remedies available to us and accordingly deal with the processes of the court,” Ang's lawyer said.

Villareal also maintained that Ang is innocent of all the charges leveled against him by self-confessed whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, whom he described as the author and architect of a grand scheme to cover up his misdeeds.

“It is unfortunate that the DOJ has allowed itself to become a witting instrument of Patidongan’s manipulations aimed at absolving himself of legal culpability at the expense of Mr. Ang,” said Villareal.

He added that no physical evidence has been presented by the DOJ to link Ang to the case and that only Patidongan’s narrative was used in pinning culpability. “This case was built on haste and from the beginning and the intent to use our client as a diversion has now become apparent.” —VAL, GMA Integrated News