Atong’s Cambodia venture nixed

Only for local employment.

The Sandiganbayan denied anew the application of Charlie “Atong” Ang to travel to Cambodia to work as a consultant for a lottery operation there.

“The risk of flight is high and the risk to probationer Ang’s life may be heightened in the event that he should be allowed to travel abroad,” the Sandiganbayan’s Special Division said in its three-page resolution.

Sandiganbayan Special Division chairman Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz Jr. said Ang has a history of flight risk that necessitates the denial of his petition to leave the country.

In a resolution last Dec. 6, the anti-graft court denied the motion filed by Ang for a one-week travel pass to Cambodia to work there as a gambling consultant.

The anti-graft court had earlier released Ang on probation subject to the condition that he make himself useful by applying for a job.

Ang was sentenced to a maximum of six years in prison on the lesser offense of corruption of a public official.

The lesser penalty was imposed on Ang after the anti-graft court approved the plea bargain agreement he entered into with government prosecutors. Ang was among the co-accused in the six-year plunder case against former President Joseph Estrada.

As part of the plea bargain agreement, the anti-graft court ordered Ang to reimburse the government P25 million, which he admitted was his share from the P130-million tobacco excise tax funds which was the focus of the plunder case against Estrada.

Ang stressed he needed the job to settle an P8-million debt he incurred to partially pay off his P25-million obligation to the court.

Ang had worked as a consultant of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) on jai-alai operations during Estrada’s tenure.

Ang earlier filed a petition to travel back to the United States “to fix up his business” but this was denied.

The court noted Ang fled the country shortly after Estrada was ousted from office in 2001.

The court also noted the Philippine government had to force the extradition of Ang to stand trial here as a co-accused in the plunder case against Estrada.

Ang applied anew for a permit to travel to Cambodia, claiming he had to meet his prospective employer, 888 Company, there and present his recommendations on how to improve the gaming business in the country.

Villaruz, however, said Ang could make the presentation to his Cambodian employer using video teleconference and the Internet.