Latest news with #CharlieAng
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
The Philippine murder mystery spoiling Taal Lake's catch
The volcanic mist that hung over Taal Lake last week seemed to thicken with every rumour. Where fishermen once cast their nets, search teams trawled the depths for sacks of secrets. Since July 10, up to 40 technical divers from the Philippines ' coastguard, aided by a remotely operated submersible, have recovered five sacks containing 'suspicious objects' from the lake's dark depths. The search, triggered by the bombshell revelations of whistle-blower Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan, has left the local community in Batangas province, some 63km (40 miles) south of Manila, reeling while sending shock waves across the nation. Patidongan's macabre account is harrowing. He claims at least 35 missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) were kidnapped and slowly strangled with wire before their bodies were stuffed into weighted sacks and dumped in the lake near the municipality of Laurel. He has implicated police officers allegedly corrupted by his former employer, gambling tycoon Charlie 'Atong' Ang, and warned that up to 100 murdered men could have been dumped in the murky waters.
France 24
04-07-2025
- France 24
Philippines asks Japan's help searching lake for missing cockfighters
The case is tied to a spate of mysterious disappearances in 2022 in the Southeast Asian nation's huge cockfighting industry, known locally as "sabong". Interest in the unsolved cases has surged since the televised appearance of a witness -- since identified as Julie "Dondon" Patidongan, a recent mayoral candidate -- who claimed to know where bodies had been submerged in Lake Taal. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said Friday he now had multiple witnesses who could "testify where (in the water) those missing persons were thrown". He added that a group of 15 unnamed national police officers were under investigation and put on restricted duty. "They carried out the executions," he said. "I just signed a letter for the Japanese government asking for assistance to enable us to do a lakebed mapping and... other technology that we need," Remulla added. "We need a scientific approach here. We cannot leave it to chance." Located about two hours south of the capital, Taal Lake is home to an active island volcano and spans more than 230 square kilometres (89 square miles) with a depth of 172 metres (564 feet) in some places. Patidongan initially appeared in silhouette in an interview on local television outlet GMA before later revealing himself, saying he feared for his life. He has identified Charlie Ang, a man involved in livestreamed cockfighting operations, as the mastermind behind the disappearances. Ang has denied all charges and on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing Patidongan, a former employee, of slander, threats and conspiracy to commit robbery. The justice department made a series of arrests in late 2022 of police and security personnel allegedly involved with the disappearance of 34 cockfight industry participants that Remulla said were "probably dead". Since his televised appearance, Patidongan has claimed the actual number could be as high as 100. Filipinos from all walks of life wager millions of dollars on matches every week between roosters who fight to the death with razor-sharp metal spurs tied to their legs. The sport, banned in many other countries, survived coronavirus pandemic restrictions by going online, drawing many more gamblers who use their mobile phones to place wagers.
