Fugitive businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang escaped the Philippines through unmonitored “backdoor” routes and is currently hiding in Cambodia, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed on Tuesday.
Responding to reporters during a press briefing regarding law enforcement efforts to locate the missing gambling tycoon, Remulla confirmed that Ang slipped past border authorities.
“Through the backdoor,” Remulla stated when asked how Ang managed to evade border controls despite active arrest warrants.
The government has placed a P20-million bounty on Ang, whom Remulla previously branded as the country’s most wanted fugitive. Multiple courts in Batangas and Laguna issued warrants for Ang’s arrest over his alleged mastermind role in the abduction, disappearance, and presumed killings of dozens of sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) between 2021 and 2022.
Remulla declined to elaborate on the operational details or specific exit points used in Ang’s escape, citing the active status of the ongoing police investigation.
“Let’s not talk about it. As I said, the investigation is ongoing,” Remulla said.
Addressing concerns over Ang’s capability to fund a prolonged life on the run, Remulla highlighted that the fugitive holds access to massive liquid assets, including an estimated $3 billion in cryptocurrency holdings that could be leveraged to evade law enforcement.
However, the Interior Secretary clarified he was not asserting that Ang had bribed Cambodian officials or foreign entities to secure refuge.
The confirmation follows months of fluid intelligence reports. Authorities initially received tips from whistleblower Julie Patidongan in January alleging Ang was in Cambodia. Though Cambodian foreign ministry officials previously denied his presence within their borders, subsequent intelligence tracking led Philippine law enforcement back to confirming his backdoor departure to the Southeast Asian neighbor.
Law enforcement agencies, in coordination with foreign law enforcement partners, continue to pursue diplomatic and legal channels to locate and extradite the fugitive gaming executive.