The whereabouts of wanted Philippine gaming tycoon Charlie Ang have once again drawn attention. Philippine Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla recently said that law enforcement agencies suspect Charlie Ang may have already fled the Philippines, with his last known location reportedly in Cambodia.
According to a Philippine media report on October 20, Remulla said in an interview that police are still tracking Charlie Ang's movements but have not yet confirmed his specific hiding place.
Charlie Ang has become a major target of Philippine arrest warrants because he is suspected of involvement in the disappearance of at least 34 cockfighting enthusiasts between 2021 and 2022. Police suspect that some of the missing persons may have been kidnapped or even killed over cheating disputes in cockfighting matches. The related charges still await further confirmation through judicial proceedings, and Charlie Ang has previously denied involvement.
Courts in two Philippine provinces have issued multiple arrest warrants against him, covering charges including kidnapping, serious illegal detention and homicide. Remulla also claimed that Charlie Ang may control funds of up to US$3 billion, with some assets possibly converted into cryptocurrency, though the claims remain unverified.
In fact, the Philippine side suspected as early as January this year that he had fled to Cambodia and dispatched personnel to coordinate an investigation. However, on February 7, Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited immigration records and said no record had been found of Charlie Ang entering or leaving Cambodia through its border checkpoints.
So far, the Cambodian side has not publicly responded to the Philippines' latest claim. Whether Charlie Ang is in Cambodia still cannot be confirmed, and the case awaits further investigation.
