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Emmanuel Tupas - The Philippine Star
February 12, 2026 | 10:16pm
MANILA, Philippines — As Charlie “Atong” Ang remains elusive despite a massive police manhunt, the government has doubled the bounty for the gaming tycoon’s arrest to P20 million.
In a news briefing yesterday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the money came from confidential funds of his department and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for high-profile most wanted fugitives.
In announcing the new bounty, Remulla took a swipe at Vice President Sara Duterte, who is accused of corruption for using fictitious names in disbursing hundreds of millions of confidential funds.
“There are no Chippy, Piattos here. We will pay real people if ever,” he said.
Ang is facing charges of kidnapping with homicide as well as kidnapping and serious illegal detention before the courts in Sta. Cruz and San Pablo, Laguna and Lipa, Batangas.
There were reports that Ang had fled to either Cambodia or Thailand, but the Cambodian government has released an official statement denying that Ang is hiding in that country.
Based on intelligence reports, Remulla said they have reason to believe Ang is still in the Philippines.
To boost manhunt operations against Ang and other wanted fugitives such as former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag, who is believed to be hiding in the Cordillera, Remulla said they will procure drones with LiDAR or light detection and ranging capabilities which can penetrate even through canopies of trees.
“We will be deploying that in the next few months,” he said.
Another arrest warrant
Amid ongoing efforts to locate and catch him, another court in San Pablo City, Laguna ordered the arrest of Ang for the kidnapping and disappearance of cockfighting enthusiasts.
The San Pablo City, Laguna Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 29 issued last Feb. 6 the latest arrest warrant against him and five others: Ryan Jay Eliab Orapa, Alfredo Uy Andes, Philip Simborio Almedilla, Joey Natanauan Encarnacion alias “Enca” and Aaron Ezrah Lagahit Cabillan for kidnapping and serious illegal detention under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code.
A copy of the warrant was made available to reporters yesterday.
Presiding judge Luvina Padolina Roque did not recommend bail.
She also directed law enforcers to look for him in six locations in the cities of Pasig, Mandaluyong and Muntinlupa, and in Calamba and Los Baños in Laguna, and Laurel in Batangas.
Department of Justice spokesman Polo Martinez maintained the agency has not received the latest arrest warrant against Ang and others.
Intensified operations
After receiving criticisms from Sen. Raffy Tulfo, the PNP has vowed to intensify operations against illegal online cockfighting or sabong games.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. yesterday ordered police commanders to assist the Anti-Cybercrime Group in monitoring and gathering intelligence on the sources of the live feeds of sabong matches.
While the PNP is focused to stop all forms of illegal gambling, Nartatez said eradicating online sabong remains a challenge due to the evolving nature of cybercrimes.
During a hearing of the Senate games and amusement committee on Wednesday, Tulfo criticized the PNP, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and the National Bureau of Investigation for failing to stop e-sabong operations.
Despite the ban, Nartatez said they continue to monitor guerrilla operations where several online sites were already taken down.
Nartatez assured Tulfo cybercrime and intelligence units have been working together in tracking down illegal e-sabong operations, specifically tracing livestreams, identifying operations using sophisticated networks and gathering actionable intelligence to support coordinated cyber and ground raids.
“It may look like a simple livestream to the public but behind those links is a sophisticated network of VPNs and offshore hosting,” he said.
Apart from tracking down sites, police units are also focused on identifying the financiers and operators of online gambling platforms.
Nartatez urged people with information about the operations of e-sabong to report to police stations.
