Atong Ang file photo
Prosecutors claim there is probable cause to pursue kidnapping and homicide charges tied to the missing sabungeros case, while clearing several individuals, including actress Gretchen Barretto, after finding no evidence against them.
MANILA – The Department of Justice claims it has sufficient prima facie evidence to seek criminal charges against gaming businessman Charlie Tiu Hay Ang, also known as “Atong” Ang, and several other respondents over the disappearance of multiple “sabungeros,” or cockfight enthusiasts, a case that has drawn nationwide scrutiny since 2021.
In a resolution released this week, state prosecutors asserted that the evidence presented during preliminary investigation meets the legal threshold for kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping with serious illegal detention. The DOJ emphasized that its findings are limited to probable cause and do not establish guilt. All respondents remain presumed innocent under Philippine law.
Basis for the charges
According to the DOJ, a panel of prosecutors reviewed multiple complaints tied to the missing sabungeros and consolidated investigative reports from law enforcement agencies. After evaluating witness statements, affidavits and supporting materials, the panel claimed that ten counts of kidnapping with homicide and sixteen counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention should be filed against Ang and more than twenty others.
Many of the individuals the DOJ identified are active or former police officers, along with civilians allegedly linked to security operations involving e-sabong, or online cockfighting. Each recommended count corresponds to a specific victim named in the consolidated complaints.
The resolution underscored that the DOJ’s role is limited to determining whether probable cause exists. The courts will ultimately decide, after trial, whether the evidence proves any alleged criminal liability.
The wider ‘missing sabungeros’ investigation
The case involves at least thirty-four individuals who disappeared between 2021 and early 2022 in Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Manila and neighboring areas. Many victims were last seen in cockpits, participating in tournaments or working in operations related to online cockfighting.
Public attention intensified in 2025 when a witness provided sworn statements alleging that some victims were abducted and killed due to disputes tied to e-sabong. The witness also implicated Ang. The DOJ acknowledged including these allegations in its review but stated they will still need to be examined and challenged in court.
The resolution avoids characterizing Ang as a mastermind. Instead, it claims only that available evidence is sufficient to warrant judicial scrutiny.
Ang’s response and claims of extortion
Ang has repeatedly denied involvement and has claimed that the whistleblower attempted to extort money from him. His legal team has argued publicly that the statements linking him to the disappearances are fabricated and that the evidence cited by prosecutors is unreliable.
Complaints against other individuals dismissed
Prosecutors also dismissed complaints against several personalities who were publicly mentioned earlier in the controversy, including actress Gretchen Barretto, due to lack of evidence. The DOJ stated that the dismissal was issued without prejudice, meaning the matter may only be reconsidered if new, material evidence emerges.
The legal process that follows the DOJ findings
The DOJ will now prepare and file the appropriate criminal informations before the regional trial courts that have jurisdiction over the incidents. Judges will independently determine whether warrants of arrest should be issued after evaluating the records. Once the cases are raffled, the courts will oversee the full adjudication of the evidence, including the examination of witness credibility and competing narratives presented by the prosecution and the defense.
Families of the missing sabungeros welcomed the development but continue to call for answers on the fate of their relatives. The DOJ resolution marks a new stage in one of the country’s most closely watched criminal investigations involving civilians, police officers and the former online cockfighting industry.
