Sandigan moves to seize assets of Dichaves, Atong Ang

The Sandiganbayan moved yesterday to seize bank deposits of businessman Jaime Dichaves and former gambling consultant Charlie "Atong" Ang, both close friends of jailed former President Joseph Estrada.

The writ of attachment was issued by Sandiganbayan Special Division acting Presiding Justice Minita Chico-Nazario in a bid to prevent Dichaves and Ang from emptying the bank accounts, which may contain money from Estrada’s suspected jueteng protection racket.

Nazario issued a one-page writ attaching through the Sandiganbayan Sheriff’s Office the accounts of Dichaves in the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) main branch on Ayala Avenue, Metrobank on Gil Puyat Avenue, Far East Bank and Trust Co. (FEBTC) on Ayala Avenue, United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) on Makati Avenue and the International Exchange Bank, all in Makati City.

The management of these banks, including FEBTCs merged with BPI, have been instructed to freeze all of Dichaves’ accounts.

Dichaves is one of Estrada’s co-accused in the plunder case against the former president. Dichaves has claimed ownership of the controversial Jose Velarde account in the Juan Luna, Binondo branch of Equitable PCI Bank.

The graft court also ordered a freeze on Ang’s accounts in Westmont Bank on Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City, as well as Ang’s accounts with Metrobank, Citibank and Allied Bank.

Despite the freezing of Dichaves and Ang’s accounts, no specific sums of money corresponding to the frozen bank accounts were given in the writ.

Sandiganbayan Sheriff Manny Torio said they served the writ yesterday in a bid to prevent Dichaves and Ang from clearing out these bank accounts and hiding their money elsewhere.

Meanwhile, in the continuation of the Estrada plunder trial, the prosecution’s 32nd witness said he considers former Ilocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson an "angel."

SPO2 Frederico Artates, while under cross-examination by defense lawyer Prospero Crescini, said he did not attempt to arrest Singson, although he was used as a collector of jueteng protection money by the former governor.

Artates said that while he may have worked for Singson, he did not mind investigating Singson’s links to illegal gambling. "I did not tell my superior that I was being utilized by (Singson) in collecting jueteng money because I never (got) evidence that what I was collecting was jueteng money," Artates said.

The witness told the court he had heard of the involvement of suspected jueteng lord Rodolfo "Bong" Pineda in jueteng operations during the congressional investigation conducted by the House in late 1996, "but since I have no concrete evidence as to the involvement of (Singson with Pineda), I did not attempt to arrest him or investigate him."

"I consider (Singson), who gambles, as an angel," Artates said.