There is something deeply unsettling about the silence—and worse, the spin—surrounding the disappearance of more than 100 “sabongeros” allegedly linked to the vast, shadowy cockfighting empire of Charlie “Atong” Ang. These men vanished without a trace, their families left to grieve in limbo. Yet the story seems to be slowly dying in the mainstream, as if someone powerful is working overtime to bury the truth.

Which brings us to a pressing question: why is a known public relations operation, reportedly connected to a prominent legislator, being mobilized in what appears to be an attempt to launder Atong Ang’s name from this horrific case?

The public should not be naïve. Atong Ang is no ordinary businessman. His reach spans gambling, cockfighting, and allegedly, deep political connections. His name has repeatedly surfaced in controversial dealings over the years—but like smoke, he always seems to slip through the cracks of justice. His mystique is part fear, part power. People “in the know” speak of him in hushed tones, not because of what is proven in court, but because of what is widely whispered in back channels. Whether his tactics are strictly legal or tinged with gangsterism is up for debate—but the perception of fear he inspires is very real.

Now, we are hearing murmurs that a high-ranking legislator—widely known to be a close business associate of Mr. Ang—is circling the wagons. This legislator, backed heavily during his campaign by figures tied to Atong Ang’s network, including certain Filipino-Chinese businessmen and even a few mainland-linked personalities, seems to be the new political firewall standing between Ang and full public scrutiny. Tattle tales says this legislator got his millions through Mr. Ang, including his private jet and huge yatch.

This is dangerous. The President himself—Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.—has declared his intention to “see this case through” and to ensure that the perpetrators behind the possible massacre of sabongeros are held accountable. But how can justice prevail when one of the Congress’s most influential voices might be acting as a protector, rather than a truth-seeker?

If this legislator is indeed leveraging his platform and public relations machinery to sanitize Mr. Ang’s image, then he is not just complicit—he is obstructing the pursuit of justice. And for what? Political favors? Business debts? Silence is not neutrality in a case like this. Silence is betrayal.

Filipinos deserve answers. The families of the missing sabongeros deserve justice. And Congress—if it is to retain any moral authority—must investigate whether one of its own is actively shielding a man whose name has been repeatedly linked to the underworld of illegal gambling and now, possibly, to a mass disappearance.

No one should be above the law—not Atong Ang, and certainly not a legislator.

Let’s not allow another scandal to be swept under the rug. We need to ask: who is protecting whom? And at what cost to truth, justice, and public trust?

Caveat:

there are very strong voices who shared with this writer that Mr. Ang is being attacked because a very close gambling personality is trying to grab the business of Mr. Ang. This personality is very close to the kusina, and is also making strong moves to destroy Mr. Ang. another rumor going around town is that the powers that be are very determined to see Mr. Ang’s demise because of the brutality he reportedly committed, a thing that remains just that–allegations. what is certain is that there is a war ongoing between and among big-time gambling personalities and this war is also tearing this government apart at the seams.