NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
DOJ Throws Out Atong Ang's Case Against 'Missing Sabungero' Witness - 'No Evidence, No Case'
Photo credit: DOJ
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has junked the criminal complaints filed by businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang against his former employee Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, one of the key witnesses in the high-profile case of the missing sabungeros.
In a 19-page resolution dated September 30 but released to the public on Monday, the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the charges against Patidongan and his co-respondent Alan “Brown” Bantiles for lack of prima facie evidence — meaning, the evidence was too weak to reasonably support a conviction.
Ang had accused the two of robbery-extortion, grave threats, grave coercion, slander, and incriminating an innocent person, claiming they demanded ₱300 million in exchange for not linking him to the disappearance of the sabungeros.
But prosecutors didn’t buy it. In fact, they said the evidence tells a different story — that Ang himself appeared to be the one initiating contact.
“The call logs show that all communications between complainant (Ang) and respondent Bantiles… were outgoing calls initiated by the complainant himself,” the resolution stated.
“This fact substantially undermines the claim that he was under persistent threats and extortion.”
The DOJ added that in a typical extortion case, the offender would be the one calling or sending threats — not the supposed victim. The absence of incoming calls or messages from the accused raised serious doubts about Ang’s claims.
Prosecutors also found another red flag: despite claiming to be threatened, Ang admitted to giving ₱12 million in campaign donations to Patidongan during the same period he said the extortion was happening.
“It would be difficult to reconcile how complainant, a seasoned businessman of considerable resources and influence, would still choose to fund the very person allegedly orchestrating a criminal scheme against him,” the resolution noted.
In short, the DOJ said the numbers — and the logic — simply didn’t add up.
The dismissal marks another twist in the ongoing saga of the missing sabungeros, a case that has gripped public attention since several men vanished after attending e-sabong events.
In a 19-page resolution dated September 30 but released to the public on Monday, the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the charges against Patidongan and his co-respondent Alan “Brown” Bantiles for lack of prima facie evidence — meaning, the evidence was too weak to reasonably support a conviction.
Ang had accused the two of robbery-extortion, grave threats, grave coercion, slander, and incriminating an innocent person, claiming they demanded ₱300 million in exchange for not linking him to the disappearance of the sabungeros.
But prosecutors didn’t buy it. In fact, they said the evidence tells a different story — that Ang himself appeared to be the one initiating contact.
“The call logs show that all communications between complainant (Ang) and respondent Bantiles… were outgoing calls initiated by the complainant himself,” the resolution stated.
“This fact substantially undermines the claim that he was under persistent threats and extortion.”
The DOJ added that in a typical extortion case, the offender would be the one calling or sending threats — not the supposed victim. The absence of incoming calls or messages from the accused raised serious doubts about Ang’s claims.
Prosecutors also found another red flag: despite claiming to be threatened, Ang admitted to giving ₱12 million in campaign donations to Patidongan during the same period he said the extortion was happening.
“It would be difficult to reconcile how complainant, a seasoned businessman of considerable resources and influence, would still choose to fund the very person allegedly orchestrating a criminal scheme against him,” the resolution noted.
In short, the DOJ said the numbers — and the logic — simply didn’t add up.
The dismissal marks another twist in the ongoing saga of the missing sabungeros, a case that has gripped public attention since several men vanished after attending e-sabong events.
Oct 20, 2025
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