DESPITE an intensive search operation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an exclusive Makati City subdivision, businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang, wanted in connection with the missing sabungeros case, remains at large.
The operation, armed with a warrant of arrest, raises the pressing question: where is Atong Ang?
NBI agents from the Organized and Transnational Crime Division, after coordinating with local authorities, targeted a house reportedly owned by one of Ang’s children on Thursday. The caretaker confirmed the property was registered under Ang’s son but insisted the agents wait for the owner’s lawyers before entering.
While awaiting the lawyers, the NBI deployed a drone to monitor the property from above, ensuring no one could escape unnoticed. When Ang’s lawyers arrived, a limited number of agents, accompanied by barangay representatives, were allowed inside to search the premises. The search, which included bedrooms, bathrooms, and vehicles, yielded no sign of Ang.
The NBI then moved to a second property, just three houses away, and repeated the process, again deploying the drone for aerial surveillance. However, the operation once again proved unsuccessful.
Despite the negative results, NBI spokesperson Head Agent Palmer Mallari stated that tips continue to pour into the bureau’s hotline. With the reward for information leading to Ang’s arrest recently doubled to P20 million, authorities are hopeful that the increased bounty will improve their chances of locating him. The NBI has also warned that anyone found aiding Ang could face charges of obstruction of justice and harboring a fugitive.
The search for Atong Ang continues, both on the ground and in the air, as authorities pursue every lead in their effort to bring him to justice.
