Prosecutors let court decide on Ang’s gig as casino adviser

By Jocelyn Uy

MANILA, Philippines -- Government prosecutors have no objection to Charlie "Atong" Ang's petition to the Sandiganbayan seeking the reversal of the court’s earlier ruling that barred him from flying to Cambodia for a possible consulting job in a gaming company.

"The people submit the instant motion to the wise discretion of the court," said Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio in a one-page comment submitted to the anti-graft court’s Special Division.

Ang, a well-known former casino habitué and a gambling buddy of ousted president Joseph Estrada, received a job offer in August from 888 Corporation, which operates a lottery in Cambodia.

Citing his "expertise" as a former consultant to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in the Estrada administration, 888 executives wrote Ang asking him to advise their company.

In his request to be allowed to fly to Cambodia, Ang told the Sandiganbayan the job could be his ticket to settling his debts, incurred when he had to pay the P25-million penalty the court imposed on him after he pleaded guilty to a lesser offense in the plunder case against Estrada in which he was a co-accused.

Estrada was convicted of two counts of plunder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. His conviction is under appeal. Having availed of the plea bargain, Ang was sentenced to six years in prison and was freed due to time served during his trial.

The Sandiganbayan Special Division junked Ang’s petition for a weeklong travel pass to Cambodia citing the possibility he would leave the jurisdiction of the court.

In placing Ang under two year’s probation four months ago, the court ordered him not to participate in any form of gambling and to get the court's permission every time he wanted to leave Quezon City.

In his motion for reconsideration, Ang through his lawyers said he could not "simply escape and trifle with the generosity of this court."

He also said he would abide by the terms and conditions for travel that the court may impose -- like putting up a travel bond -- to guarantee his return.

"I really need that job to settle my arrears. I have no job offers here in the country," Ang had told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an earlier interview.