Atong Ang

Last updated
Atong Ang
Born
Charlie Tiu Hay Sy Ang

(1957-08-29) August 29, 1957 (age 68)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • businessman
SpouseIris Ang [1]
Children3 [1]

Charlie Tiu Hay Sy Ang (born August 29, 1957), commonly referred to as Atong Ang, is a Filipino businessman, gambling magnate known for his involvement in the jueteng and cockfighting industries. He gained national attention in 2000 when he became a co-accused in the impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada, and was issued an arrest warrant in April 2001 for plunder. Although he had fled from the Philippines during EDSA II, he was arrested by the FBI in the United States on November 25, 2001 upon an extradition request by the Philippine government, being detained for five years before his extradition to the Philippines in November 2006. After pleading guilty of indirect bribery in 2007, Ang served two years in prison before being released in May 2009.

Contents

In 2025, Ang was accused by a former security aide of perpetrating the disappearance of more than 100 cockfighting enthusiasts from 2021 to 2022, although he has denied the allegations.

Early life

Charlie "Atong" Ang was born on August 29, 1957 to Catalina Ang (born 1929). [2] [3] According to Catalina's former cook Delia Rajas, Atong Ang has a sister named "Allan", later alleged to have used the alias "Yolanda Uy" in attempting to erase Ang's bank records. [2] [4]

He is not related to Ramon Ang.

Business career

In the 1990s, Ang owned a company named Power Express. [2] By 1999, he headed Power Management and Consultancy Inc., a private firm alleged to have been established by jai alai enthusiasts. [5] In the same year, Ang became a "consultant for marketing and promotions" for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). [5]

Ang is the chairman of Pitmasters Live and the owner of Lucky 8 Starquest, a major online cockfighting platform. [6] He was previously involved in the illicit numbers game known as jueteng , and later transitioned to its legalised counterpart, the Small Town Lottery, operated under the auspices of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. [7] Ang is also recognized for co-founding the Ultimate Fighting Cock Championship (UFCC) and financing cockfighting teams.

Alleged assault of Rep. Patrick Antonio

In late February 1996, Representative Patrick Antonio of Cagayan, a cockfighting enthusiast, [8] [9] accused Ang and his bodyguards of assaulting him at the Roligon Mega Cockpit in Parañaque on February 21, 1996 while he was hosting a derby. [10] [11] [12] He alleged that several of them were members of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC), chaired by Vice President Joseph Estrada, and denounced Ang for the "wanton and abusive display of naked power by someone who is associated with somebody in power." [12] [13] Although a hearing had begun to be held by the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, chaired by Rep. Teodulo Natividad of Bulacan's 1st district, Ang did not appear before Congress, citing his alleged loose bowel movement, gas pains and nausea based on a provided medical certificate. [14]

In the years after, Antonio and Ang continued to have cockfighting matches with each other. [15] [16] In 2022, Ang cited Antonio to be among the major licensees of online cockfighting ("e-sabong") who are in his circle of friends. [17] [18]

Casino Filipino videotape and the disappearance of Egay Bentain

Ang is a close associate of former president Joseph Estrada, and the two, along with Dharm "Danny" Devnani [19] (who can be seen coaching Estrada), [20] and casino manager and PAGCOR chief Reynaldo Butch Tenorio [21] have been caught on a leaked videotape playing high-stakes baccarat at the Casino Filipino Silahis [22] branch at the Grand Boulevard Hotel along Roxas Boulevard in Manila during September 15, 1996. [23] The video tape was leaked by Casino Filipino CCTV operator and technician Edgardo "Egay" Bentain [24] to the press two months before the 1998 presidential election, in which Estrada won the presidency. [21] [25] Bentain mysteriously disappeared during January 16, 1999 shortly after stepping out of the Casino Filipino Roxas Blvd. branch. [21] As per a Ferdinand Marcos Sr. presidential decree in 1983 (PD 1067-B, amended by PD 1869), government officials, members of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are not allowed to play inside government-owned gambling casinos, which include PAGCOR-owned Casino Filipino casinos. Only foreign tourists and local residents with a net annual income of P50,000 are allowed to stay and play in the casinos. [26]

In an affidavit in August 2001, Devnani, one of Ang's gambling associates, had linked Ang to Bentain's disappearance. According to Devnani, Ang knew who leaked the video tape and provided a cryptic warning ("Alam ko 'yan. Kami na bahala. Malapit na") which Devnani didn't pay any mind until Devnani saw news headlines on newspapers that Bentain had disappeared. [20]

Angelo Mawanay, alias "Ador", alleged that Panfilo Lacson ordered Bentain to be abducted and buried alive by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task force. Lacson alleges that military intelligence chief Col. Victor Corpus is using Mawanay as part of then nascent president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's government campaign to bring Lacson down. [27] Corpus later apologized to Lacson in April 2017, stating that his information was "devious and a fraud". Lacson accepted Corpus' apology, which he said was "long in coming.". [28] [29]

Lacson mentioned Bentain's disappearance in his second privilege speech against Estrada [30] in September 22, 2009. In it, he recalls that Bentain was killed "somewhere in Laguna", and that a former police officer ent to Polk St. in Greenhills and reported compliance with a "mission accomplished". The house occupant simply said, "Sige, sabihin mo sa mga bata, maraming salamat." Lacson further asserts that he didn't identify the criminal because he "did not have any participation or direct personal knowledge of these criminal activities while they were taking place years ago. My investigation is ongoing even as I speak today. But I have gathered enough facts and data to provide the useful leads to unmask the mastermind's true identity and his active participation including other persons who were barely mentioned in the conduct of investigation.". [31]

Before the speech, Ediver Bentain, Edgar's youngest brother, hoped that the speech would reveal who was the "mastermind" of the disappearance of his brother. His family does not want anyone in the family to grant any interview regarding the incident, so as for fear of disappearance. He says that his mother wished to see Edgar's ashes, and noted that the Dacer family were lucky because they had seen Salvador Dacer's remains. Ediver has long suspected that Estrada was involved with Edgar's disappearance and that Lacson could be involved. [30] After the speech, Edcel Bentain, one of Edgar's brothers, expressed disappointment regarding the Lacson speech, as they felt that they were using Edgar as political "leverage", and hoped for actual evidence to appear so that they can take it to court. [32]

Impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada

On October 4, 2000, Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson and jueteng lord, a longtime friend of Estrada, went public with accusations that Estrada and his friends and family had received millions of pesos from operations of jueteng : an illegal numbers game played by selecting two numbers ranging from 1 to 37, which bettors can play for as low as one peso. Ang triggered the rift between Estrada and Singson. Estrada allegedly gave Ang the green light to operate jueteng, which threatened to put Singson out of his illegal business. [33]

According to Singson, Estrada received ₱220 million in jueteng protection money since taking over the presidency. [34]

Singson also testified that Ang managed a gambling consultancy firm owned by Estrada [35] named Prominent Management and Consultancy, which was awarded the exclusive contract to operate Bingo 2-Ball nationwide "pending review of the system and operating procedures" for PAGCOR [34] which, according to Singson, earned at least 500,000(equivalent to ₱1,092,959 in 2021) per night. Bingo 2-Ball was stopped after it was revealed that 23 percent of the profits have been directly transferred into Ang's bank account, and that all Bingo 2-Ball operators were former illegal jueteng operators. Singson, then Ilocos Sur governor, former Estrada sympathizer and one of the major figures behind Estrada's impeachment, [6] said: "Bingo 2-Ball was not designed to kill jueteng but to systematize the payoffs, with the president and Atong Ang getting 23 percent of the action, much bigger than what Erap (Estrada) is getting from jueteng." [23]

Ang was a co-accused in the 2001 corruption trial of Estrada at the Sandiganbayan, linked to a ₱4-billion plunder case and ₱130-million [25] diversion for tobacco excise taxes. On the morning of January 20, 2001, at the height of EDSA II, he fled the Philippines on a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong, [36] and then took a flight to the United States, where he sought asylum. [24] [37] On April 25, 2001, the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant for Ang on charges of plunder alongside Estrada, his son Jinggoy and his business associate Yolanda Ricaforte among others, [38] with Ang later arrested by the FBI at the Paris Las Vegas casino hotel along the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada on the basis of an extradition request in the early hours of November 25, 2001. [39] Ang tried to apply for bail, but the Las Vegas court denied this request on March 1, 2002, instead opting for an extradition. [40] He was later extradited back to the Philippines on November 10, 2006, and with Ruth Castelo as his lawyer, Ang entered a plea bargain with the government in 2007 by admitting guilt to "corruption of public officials in relation to indirect bribery". [25] [41] [42] [43] [44] He was sentenced to two years probation; although he later requested that he be allowed to serve as a lottery consultant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the Sandiganbayan denied his request in December 2007. [45] [46] He served his sentence in a Quezon City prison until his release in late May 2009. [47] [48] [25] According to newspaper columnist Ramon Tulfo, Ang returned to illegal gambling by June 2009, operating jai-alai and small-town lottery games in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone. [46] [49]

Masiao

As a PAGCOR contractor during Estrada's presidential tenure, Ang also distributed Pagcor IDs for bet collectors within Visayas and Mindanao. Rex "Wakee" Salud, a boxing promoter who also operates an off-fronton betting station in Cebu City, told a local radio station that Ang authorized him to distribute Pagcor IDs in Cebu City. These IDs were used to collect illegal "masiao" bets - an illegal numbers game based on outcomes of a jai-alai game in Manila, which is as popular in Visayas and Mindanao as jueteng is in Luzon. [23]

Then Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said that the police should arrest all bet collectors in Visayas and Mindanao with Pagcor IDs. Estrada ordered to rescind Ang's consultancy contract on October 8, 2000. [23]

Involvement over small-town lotteries

In December 2017, PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan alleged that Ang offered PSCO to provide ₱200 million per month to PCSO if he was allowed to control small-town lotteries nationwide. He rejected as PCSO was generating a monthly revenue of ₱1.7 billion from STLs. Ang denied the allegations. [50] Ang said that the meeting where he provided PCSO Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz the offer was intended in "shaking up" STLs to generate revenue for social services, and that he was told by Duterte to do so. [51]

Barretto family feud

In October 2019, Ang found himself entangled in a widely publicized altercation within the Barretto family during the wake of Miguel Barretto, father of actress and socialite Gretchen Barretto, with whom Ang has reportedly been in a partnership since 2017. The incident, which took place in the presence of then-President Rodrigo Duterte, reportedly escalated into a confrontation between Gretchen and her sister Marjorie Barretto, prompting security personnel to intervene. The dispute quickly spilled onto social media, where Gretchen launched pointed criticisms at Marjorie and her niece, actress Julia Barretto. The affair dominated headlines and became a fixture of national gossip coverage. [52]

Ang insists that Tony Boy Cojuangco, Gretchen Barretto's business partner, allegedly asked him to accompany Gretchen at the wake. Ang recalled the incident in a TV Patrol interview on October 24, 2019: "Tumawag sa akin si Tony (Boy Cojuangco). Sabi sa akin, ‘Pare, pakisamahan si Gretchen, baka mapaaway ‘yan doon.’ Iyon ang sabi sa akin ni Tony. Sabi ko, ‘Sige, samahan ko na lang.’ Kausap ko si Gretchen. ‘Sige, samahan na lang kita’,". Ang admits that he travels often with Gretchen, but with a group of friends; should they be seen holding hands in public, it is because he is a “gentleman,”. [53]

Kidnapping accusations

In 2025, Ang was implicated by whistleblower Julie "Dondon" Patidongan (alias "Totoy") in the disappearance of over 100 cockfighting enthusiasts, known as sabungeros. Patidongan, who once headed Ang's security at a cockfighting arena, alleged that Ang masterminded the abductions, with supposed involvement from actress Gretchen Barretto, policemen and other associates. [54] [55] Ang has denied the allegations, filing a counter-affidavit before the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court (RTC). [56]

Personal life

Ang is married to Iris Ang and has three children. [1] One of his children, Elaine, is an actress. [57] In March 1996, he allegedly suffered from gas pains, nausea and loose bowel movements that resulted in his non-attendance of a House committee hearing on Ang's alleged assault of Rep. Patrick Antonio. [14] In 2007, he reportedly suffered from a kidney ailment, hypertension, pedal edema and lower back pain while being sentenced by the Sandiganbayan. [42] [58]

According to newspaper columnist Ramon Tulfo, Ang dated a flight stewardess who was one of the girlfriends of former president Joseph Estrada while the latter was in prison. [49]

In 2024, Ang confirmed that he was in a relationship with Sunshine Cruz. [59]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ortiz, Margaux C. (November 11, 2006). "Atong never got to say goodbye to his wife Irish". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 21, no. 345. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A6.
  2. 1 2 3 Yamsuan, Cathy C. (January 9, 2001). "'Atong sis tried cover-up'". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 16, no. 32. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. pp. A1, A4. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  3. "Gretchen spotted at birthday party of Atong Ang's mother". ABS-CBN News . ABS-CBN Corporation. November 10, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  4. Marfil, Martin P.; Javellana, Juliet L. (January 9, 2001). "Delia Rajas used another name to enter Senate". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 16, no. 32. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A11. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Esplanada, Jerry (February 9, 2000). "Atong Ang jai alai's top honcho". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 15, no. 63. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A1. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Bolledo, Jairo (July 9, 2025). "Atong Ang and his controversies that stretch across presidents". Rappler. Archived from the original on 14 July 2025.
  7. "Atong Ang ready to prove anomaly in STL collection". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 26 January 2018.
  8. "Sagupaan 6-Cock Derby". Manila Standard . Vol. VIII, no. 31. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. March 14, 1994. p. 22. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  9. "Albano leads favs in 7-cocker". Manila Standard . Vol. IX, no. 292. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. December 4, 1995. p. 19. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  10. Jacinto, Gerry G. (February 28, 1996). "Erap-House squabble worsens". Manila Standard . Vol. X, no. 18. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. p. 13. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  11. Jacinto, Gerry G. (March 5, 1996). "Erap coddling gambling lord in maul case, says solon". Manila Standard . Vol. X, no. 24. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. p. 2. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  12. 1 2 Jacinto, Gerry (March 7, 1996). "Antonio tells Estrada about mauling plaint". Manila Standard . Vol. X, no. 26. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. p. 5. Retrieved July 29, 2025. In a privilege speech last Monday [March 4], [Patrick] Antonio said [Atong] Ang's actuation last Feb. 21 at the Roligon cockpit 'illustrates the wanton and abusive display of naked power by someone who is associated with somebody in power.'
  13. Jacinto, Gerry (March 7, 1996). "...as House starts formal probe today". Manila Standard . Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. p. 5. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  14. 1 2 Jacinto, Gerry G. (March 23, 1996). "Probe Ang's tax records, BIR told". Manila Standard . Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. p. 10. Retrieved July 29, 2025. Committee members expressed doubts on Ang's medical certificate claiming that he (Ang) could not attend the hearing because he is suffering from gas pains, loose bowel movement and nausea.
  15. "Antonio leads favorites". Manila Standard . Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. June 17, 1999. p. 11. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  16. "Top cockers brace for World Slasher". Philstar.com . Manila, Philippines: Philstar Global Corp. May 20, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  17. House Committees on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs (May 24, 2022). "Senate Committee Report No. 646" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines. p. 27.
  18. "4-way fight! Pagcor grants E-Sabong licenses to Albee Benitez, Patrick Antonio". Bilyonaryo. July 4, 2021. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  19. "NBI considering Devnani as Bentain case witness". The Philippine Star . August 31, 2001. Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  20. 1 2 Bondoc, Jairus (November 16, 2006). "Whatever happened to Egay Bentain?". The Philippine Star . Archived from the original on August 6, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  21. 1 2 3 Bagares, Romel (February 8, 2001). "Whatever happened to Egay Bentain?". The Philippine Star . Archived from the original on July 21, 2025. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  22. Lacuarta, Gerard G.; Marfil, Martin P.; Esguerra, Christian (20 November 2000). "Chavit: Fuentebella a 'gambler'". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 15, no. 346. pp. A1, A20. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Nocum, Armand; Herrera, Christine; Lacuarta, Gerald (October 20, 2000). "'Jueteng' lords vow to support president". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  24. 1 2 Calvento, Tony (24 August 2009). "'Ang tapang ni Atong Ang...'". Philippine Star . Archived from the original on July 21, 2025. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  25. 1 2 3 4 Salaveria, Leila; Conteras, Volt; Ortiz, Margaux (11 November 2006). "DOJ: Atong Ang is talking". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  26. "In The Know: Gov't officials playing at gambling casinos". Philippine Daily Inquirer . August 16, 2013. Archived from the original on August 18, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  27. Pablo, Carlito (July 16, 2001). "Lacson big security threat, says Corpus". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 16, no. 218. pp. A2. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  28. Alvarez, Kathrina Charmaine (April 12, 2017). "Corpus apologizes, Lacson accepts". GMA Network . Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  29. Ager, Maila (April 12, 2017). "Lacson accepts accuser's apology". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Archived from the original on April 21, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  30. 1 2 Adraneda, Katherine (September 19, 2009). "Bentain kin hopes Lacson will tell all in next speech". Philippine Star . Archived from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  31. Lacson, Panfilo (September 22, 2009). "Prosecution or Persecution? Privilege Speech Delivered by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson". 14th Congress of the Philippines . Archived from the original on August 7, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  32. Legaspi, Amita (September 22, 2009). "Bentain family disappointed with latest Lacson speech". GMA News . Archived from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  33. Limos, Mario Alvaro (October 21, 2019). "Who Is Atong Ang Again?". Esquire Philippines. Archived from the original on July 17, 2025. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  34. 1 2 Romero, Paulo; Diaz, Jess (October 9, 2000). "Estrada stops Bingo 2-Ball". The Philippine Star . Archived from the original on July 17, 2025. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  35. Clapano, Jose Rodel (September 3, 2002). "Estrada owned Bingo 2-Ball company, Singson testifies". The Philippine Star . Archived from the original on July 17, 2025. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  36. Burgonio, TJ (January 21, 2001). "It's Atong Ang's turn to flee". Philippine Daily Inquirer . The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A3. Retrieved July 29, 2025. [Atong] Ang, whose quarrel with Gov. Luis Singson precipitated the latter's exposé of Estrada's illegal activities, took Cathay Pacific flight CX 904 to Hong Kong at 6:40 a.m.
  37. Pazzibugan, Dona (May 24, 2001). "Atong Ang, Ricaforte seeking asylum in US". Philippine Daily Inquirer . The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A3. Retrieved July 29, 2025. [Yolanda 'Yolly'] Ricaforte and [Charlie 'Atong'] Ang, who were spotted in Los Angeles early this month, have, along with Estrada, been charged with plunder before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.
  38. Marfil, Martin P.; Cueto, Donna S.; Herrera, Christine (April 26, 2001). "This is not the movies". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 16, no. 137. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A4. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  39. Ubac, M.; Avendaño, C.; Bordadora, N. (November 28, 2001). "RP's most wanted gambler nabbed in Las Vegas". Philippine Daily Inquirer . The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. pp. A1, A7. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  40. "US courts deny Atong Ang bail". Manila Standard . March 2, 2002. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  41. Clapano, Jose Rodel; Laude, Jaime; Alquitran, Non. "Estrada jailed for plunder". Philippine Star . Archived from the original on July 21, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  42. 1 2 Araneta, Sandy (March 20, 2007). "6 years for Atong". Philstar.com . Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  43. Sarao, Zacarian (July 16, 2025). "OVP spox: I have no connection with Atong Ang's businesses since 2009". Inquirer.net . Manila, Philippines: Inquirer Interactive, Inc. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  44. "G.R. No. 148560". lawphil.net. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  45. "It's no go for Atong Ang to Cambodia – Sandigan". GMA News Online . Manila, Philippines: GMA Network, Inc. December 7, 2007. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  46. 1 2 Calvento, Tony (August 24, 2009). "'Ang tapang ni Atong Ang...'" ['Atong Ang is so fierce...']. Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Filipino). Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved July 29, 2025. Ilang ulat ang naglabasan at una nang binulgar ni kaibigan Ramon Tulfo ang pagbabalik ng mga galamay ni Charlie 'Atong' Ang sa jueteng.
  47. "Atong Ang likely to be freed in 20 days". GMA News Online . Manila, Philippines: GMA Network, Inc. May 5, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  48. Bueza, Michael (February 18, 2017). "Plunder cases in the Philippines: Was anyone punished?". Rappler . Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  49. 1 2 Tulfo, Ramon (June 15, 2009). "Atong Ang rides again". Inquirer.net . Inquirer Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on September 4, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2025. Ang is reportedly behind the small-town lottery (lotto) and jai-alai operations in the Cagayan Economic Zone without the approval of Congress and Pagcor.
  50. "Atong Ang denies bid to control lottery with Sandra Cam's help". ABS-CBN News. 27 December 2017. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025.
  51. Dela Pena, Kurt (July 7, 2025). "Businessman hounded by controversies: Who is Atong Ang?". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Archived from the original on July 21, 2025.
  52. Lago, Amanda (2019-10-20). "TIMELINE: The Barretto family feud". Rappler . Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
  53. Afinidad-Bernardo, Deni Rose M. (25 October 2019). "Atong Ang on his relation with Gretchen: Tony Boy Cojuangco knows". Philippine Star . Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
  54. "Atong Ang Accused: Whistleblower claims gaming tycoon 'masterminded' missing cockfighting enthusiasts". SunStar. 3 July 2025. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  55. "Atong Ang, Gretchen Barretto linked to missing sabungero abductions". GMA News. 2 July 2025. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  56. Caparas, Jeff (July 3, 2025). "NOW: Charlie "Atong" Ang holds a press conference..." ABS-CBN News (in English and Filipino). ABS-CBN Corporation . Retrieved July 3, 2025 via Facebook.
  57. Gabinete, Jojo (November 8, 2019). "Atong Ang, may showbiz connection bukod sa Barretto sisters". PEP.ph . Summit Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  58. Aurelio, Julie M. (May 27, 2007). "Atong Ang feels lost with new freedom". Philippine Daily Inquirer . The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. pp. A6. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  59. "Cesar Montano says Atong Ang and Sunshine Cruz 'both deserve to be happy'". GMA Network . December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.