PBBM orders thorough probe; Ang to sue ‘Totoy’
Filipino gaming industry tycoon Atong Ang was tagged by whistleblower “Alyas Totoy” as one of three alleged masterminds in the case of over 100 missing “sabungeros.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a thorough and sustained investigation into the long-unsolved case of the missing sabungeros.
“The President’s directive is to continue the thorough investigation to find out who is really involved and hold those responsible accountable,” Presidential Communications Office Usec. Claire Castro said in a briefing Wednesday.
In an exclusive interview with GMA News, “Alyas Totoy,” a suspect in the case who claimed the bodies of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts were thrown in Taal Lake, likewise named Gretchen Barretto as the female celebrity allegedly involved in the case.
“Alias Totoy” was identified in the news report as Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, and was said to have served as chief security officer for the agency managing the farms and cockpits owned by Ang.
Ang’s lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, told News5 her client will file a complaint-affidavit against “Alias Totoy” today (Thursday) to clear his name.
“He (Alyas Totoy) has been going around and extorting money from those whom he threatened to name (as being involved). That is why Sir Atong Ang is coming forward in his attempt to bring out the truth,” Kapunan said.
“We have evidence. We will show in due course in the case that we are going to file the exchange of text to affirm the extortions.”
“The Department of Justice is taking the wrong lead if it will listen… They should just wait. A legitimate state witness will point to ‘Alyas Totoy’ as the real perpetrator,” Kapunan added.
When asked to respond to Kapunan’s statements, “Alyas Totoy,” told GMA, “it’s like (Ang) is already suing himself.”
“I’m the one he is suing because he is the one who ordered everything, like when he said I extorted P300 million. Just so everyone knows, I can’t accept his money,” he said.
Apart from Ang, “Alyas Totoy” also identified a certain Eric Dela Rosa and Engr. Celso Salazar as among the alleged masterminds.
“Mr. Eric Dela Rosa, he is the one who monitors the shows. When he knows there is ‘tsope.’ He informs Mr. Atong Ang, then he and Celso Salazar will talk and call me to put those people on hold. Mr. Atong Ang, he is the chairman of Pitmaster. He is the mastermind and he is the one who orders to really clean up those people,” he said in Filipino.
“Tsope” is a term used to describe an act of doublecross in cockfighting where the game is rigged to allow enthusiasts to make a profit from betting on the predetermined winner.
Meanwhile, four other alleged accomplices have also surfaced, appealing for government protection.
The Department of Justice, however, said it has yet to see any basis to consider the newly-revealed suspects as state witnesses.
“There is yet no basis for them to be state witnesses until they are charged in the case. A person can be discharged as a state witness if they help the state by testifying truthfully against others involved in a crime, and the court agrees that their evidence is important and necessary,” said Justice department spokesperson Mico Clavano.
