LAWYER Caroline Cruz, legal counsel of businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang, confirmed on Thursday that she recently met with relatives of the missing sabungeros on April 20.
Appearing in a report on 24 Oras, Cruz clarified that it was the families themselves who reached out and initiated the visit, catching her by surprise. She described the encounter as cordial and said she agreed to meet them only out of a shared desire to uncover facts surrounding the disappearance of the cockfighting enthusiasts. “I was surprised by their visit, but I welcomed them. I told them I am also in search of the truth and honestly, that is the only reason why I allowed that unscheduled meeting to happen,” Cruz stated.
The lawyer also disclosed that she extended financial support amounting to ₱20,000 to the families, emphasizing that the assistance came with no conditions or strings attached.
Cruz stressed that the aid was given purely out of concern and did not involve any agreement or document that could influence or affect the ongoing investigation. “They signed nothing that would, in any way, be useful in the case,” she said firmly.
Rejecting any insinuations of wrongdoing, Cruz added that her conscience is clear and she is fully prepared to answer all allegations against her before the proper authorities and courts.
In a related development, the Philippine National Police has relieved two of its officers from their posts as part of the probe into possible irregularities linked to the same case.
The reassigned personnel are Highway Patrol Group spokesperson Police Lieutenant Nadame Malang and Police Major Reynaldo Pañebe Jr. of the PNP Custodial Center. According to PNP acting chief of the Headquarters Support Service Police Brigadier Manuel Abrugena, the move is precautionary while investigators verify reports that unauthorized individuals may have visited persons under police custody. He noted that at this stage, authorities have yet to gather concrete evidence to confirm that such violations actually took place.
