PH sends liaison to Cambodia vs Atong Ang, SILG Remulla says

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday said that the Philippines has sent a liaison to Cambodia following reports that Atong Ang already flew there amid arrest warrants in the missing sabungeros case.

“Cambodia, nandoon na 'yung liaison natin. Dito, in the last 20 days, 18 sites na ang ni-raid natin, all negative. But his world is getting smaller, paliit nang paliit iyan,” Remulla told reporters.

“Kung nasa Cambodia 'yan, may extradition tayo, makukuha natin siya,” he added.

A P10-million reward is being offered for information on Ang’s location.

Remulla earlier said that they received raw information that Ang may be in Cambodia.

“May information na nasa Cambodia. But that’s raw information… Kasi nag-set up siya ng online sabong sa Cambodia,” Remulla told Dobol B TV in an interview.

Arrest warrants have been issued against Ang and others, stemming from multiple counts of kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the missing sabungeros case.

Philippine authorities have requested the issuance of an Interpol red notice against Ang.

As defined by the Interpol, a red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. 

The individuals are wanted by the requesting member country, or international tribunal. Member countries apply their own laws in deciding whether to arrest a person.

Ang has denied the allegations against him.

His lawyer, Atty. Gabriel Villareal, previously described the Laguna court's arrest warrant 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. —AOL, GMA Integrated News