Atong Ang
 | This article may incorporate text from a large language model. (July 2025) |
Charlie Tiu Hay Sy Ang (born August 29, 1957), commonly referred to as Atong Ang, is a Filipino businessman known for his involvement in the gaming and cockfighting industries. He gained national attention in 2001 when he became a co-accused in the impeachment trial of then-President Joseph Estrada, which he played a role in triggering. Ang is also recognized for co-founding the Ultimate Fighting Cock Championship (UFCC) and financing cockfighting teams.
Business career
[edit]Ang is the chairman of Pitmasters Live and the owner of Lucky 8 Starquest, a major online cockfighting platform.[1] He was previously involved in the illicit numbers game known as jueteng, and later transitioned to its legalised counterpart, the Small Town Lottery, operated under the auspices of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.[2]
Legal issues and controversies
[edit]Impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada
[edit]Ang was a co-accused in the 2001 impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada, linked to a gambling turf war and the diversion of tobacco excise taxes. He fled to the United States but was later extradited and entered a plea bargain with the Philippine government.[3][4]
Involvement over Small Town Lottery
[edit]Originally introduced as a state-sanctioned alternative to illegal numbers games such as jueteng, STL became mired in allegations of corruption, favoritism, and regulatory capture—charges in which Ang's name repeatedly surfaced. Ang was widely perceived as a shadow operator wielding significant influence over STL operations through alleged proxy corporations and political connections. His perceived monopoly and backdoor control of the STL raised questions about the integrity of the program and its alignment with its intended charitable objectives. Critics argued that STL had merely formalized illegal gambling under the guise of government oversight, with Ang at its center.[5]
Tensions between Ang and the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte escalated in 2019, when Duterte ordered the brief suspension of all STL operations, citing “massive corruption” within the PCSO in 2019.[6] Although Ang denied any wrongdoing, Duterte publicly named him as one of the personalities allegedly benefiting unduly from the system.[7]
Barretto family feud
[edit]In October 2019, Ang found himself entangled in a widely publicized altercation within the Barretto family during the wake of Miguel Barretto, father of actress and socialite Gretchen Barretto, with whom Ang has reportedly been in a partnership since 2017. The incident, which took place in the presence of then-President Rodrigo Duterte, reportedly escalated into a confrontation between Gretchen and her sister Marjorie Barretto, prompting security personnel to intervene. The dispute quickly spilled onto social media, where Gretchen launched pointed criticisms at Marjorie and her niece, actress Julia Barretto. The affair dominated headlines and became a fixture of national gossip coverage.[8]
Implication in the sabungero disappearances
[edit]In 2025, Ang was implicated by whistleblower Julie "Dondon" Patidongan (alias "Totoy") in the disappearance of over 100 cockfighting enthusiasts, known as sabungeros. Patidongan alleged that Ang masterminded the abductions, with supposed involvement from actress Gretchen Barretto and other associates.[9][10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Atong Ang and his controversies that stretch across presidents". Rappler. 9 July 2025.
- ^ "Atong Ang ready to prove anomaly in STL collection". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 26 January 2018.
- ^ Clapano, Jose Rodel; Laude, Jaime; Alquitran, Non. "Estrada jailed for plunder". Philstar.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ "G.R. No. 148560". lawphil.net. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ "Atong Ang denies bid to control lottery with Sandra Cam's help". ABS-CBN News. 27 December 2017.
- ^ Cruz, R. G. (2019-08-27). "House probe on PCSO adjourns without corruption bombshell". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
- ^ Dela Pena, Kurt (2019-08-27). "Businessman hounded by controversies: Who is Atong Ang?". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
- ^ Lago, Amanda (2019-10-20). "TIMELINE: The Barretto family feud". Rappler. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
- ^ "Atong Ang Accused: Whistleblower claims gaming tycoon 'masterminded' missing cockfighting enthusiasts". SunStar. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
- ^ "Atong Ang, Gretchen Barretto linked to missing sabungero abductions". GMA News. Retrieved July 2, 2025.