DFA awaits extradition order for Ang, Ricaforte

Suspected gambling lord Charlie "Atong" Ang and Yolanda Ricaforte, the alleged jueteng auditor of ousted President Joseph Estrada, can be arrested abroad after the Sadiganbayan orders the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to request their extradition.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin told The STAR yesterday Ang and Ricaforte can also be deported to the Philippines as the DFA had already canceled their passports.

"If said passports are presented to (any Philippine) embassy, it is requested that they be confiscated and immediately forwarded to the department and the holders be issued a one-way travel document to the Philippines," he said.

Ang is believed to be in Hong Kong, while Ricaforte might have fled to Los Angeles, California.

Ebdalin said the passports of Ang and Ricaforte had become "null and void" in accordance with Republic Act 8239, the Passport Act after Justice Secretary Hernando Perez informed the DFA that the two are fugitives from justice.

Ebdalin said the DFA has already informed Philippine embassies abroad that the duo’s passports have already been canceled.

Ebdalin said canceled was a passport bearing number DDO65712 issued in Manila on Feb. 2, 1999 to Charlie Tiu Hay Ang who was born in Laguna on Aug. 29, 1958; and a passport bearing number EE370387 issued in Manila on Aug. 12, 1999 to Yolanda Tolentino Ricaforte who was born on Sept. 1, 1951 in Manila.

However, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Lauro Baja told The STAR yesterday, although the Philippines has extradition treaties with Hong Kong and the US, it would be difficult to track down Filipinos abroad.

"We cannot bodily take them," he said. "We can only have them here through diplomatic and judicial processes." –Aurea Calica