The court issued arrest warrants in connection with the disappearance of the sabungeros, resulting in the arrest of 17 people including several police officers. The manhunt continues against the alleged mastermind of the operation, Charlie “Atong” Ang, who remains at large after the court orders were issued.
According to the case documents, the accused are facing non-bailable charges of kidnapping with homicide and serious illegal detention under the Revised Penal Code. The cases are linked to the alleged kidnapping, illegal detention, and murder of several sabangeros recorded in January 2022.
Authorities confirmed that all co-accused except Ang are now in police custody. simultaneous operations were also conducted in various areas to execute the warrants, with a strict body-worn camera policy in accordance with the court's order for transparency.
Meanwhile, Ang's camp insisted that the issuance of the warrant was questionable and premature, and said they would exhaust all legal remedies to challenge it. The defense is emphasizing the alleged lack of physical evidence, while the prosecution continues to rely on the witness testimony.
The families of the missing sabangeros welcomed the progress of the case as an important step towards justice. According to them, despite the delay, they remain convinced that accountability is inevitable, and they will continue to wait for full accountability for all those involved.
