Atong Ang-linked probe hits snag over PCSO chief’s travel records

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration requires written consent from Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Chairman Felix Reyes before it can release his travel records, amid allegations of case fixing involving gaming tycoon Atong Ang.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said on Thursday, July 10, that Reyes’ public statement authorizing the release of his foreign travel records is not sufficient under the country’s data privacy laws.

“Our travel records, travel history are protected by our country’s data privacy laws. To share it publicly, his consent has to be written, informed and specific,” Sandoval said in Filipino in an interview with True FM.

“The statement he released was quite generic for a consent,” she added.

PCSO chief linked to case-fixing allegations. In the missing sabungeros case, self-proclaimed whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan accused Reyes of rigging cases in favor of Ang and colluding with prosecutors and judges. 

Reyes has denied the allegations and challenged Patidongan to present evidence, saying that without it, he should just “shut up.”

This prompted Reyes to state that he is allowing Immigration officials to release records of his foreign trips from the day he retired as a judge up to the present.

“I would also like to authorize the Bureau of Immigration to disclose my travels abroad from the time I retired from the judiciary on October 01, 2021, up to present to dispel any notion of travels abroad with prosecutors and judges,” he said in a statement on July 9.

Reyes is a former judge at the Marikina Regional Trial Court and previously served as president of the Philippine Judges Association.

BI to clarify release terms. While written consent is needed for public release, Sandoval said the BI is allowed to provide Reyes’ travel data to authorized government agencies or courts, such as the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Sandoval added that the bureau will write to Reyes to clarify the extent of authority he is granting and the specific details he wants disclosed.

Reyes, meanwhile, said he is “ready and willing” to cooperate with the government’s investigation into the missing sabungeros, where Ang has been accused of masterminding the forced disappearance of over 30 individuals.

He also said the credibility of the judiciary and the prosecution service should not be damaged by Patidongan’s claims.

Separate probes ongoing. The Supreme Court has opened an investigation into the alleged judiciary-linked fixer.

Meanwhile, the DOJ on Thursday gave the go signal for a preliminary search in Talisay, Batangas, with help from law enforcement and the Philippine Coast Guard. The town, near Taal Lake, is one of the areas where the missing sabungeros were allegedly dumped.

This is not the first time Ang has been linked to controversies involving the PCSO. In 2017, a Senate inquiry revealed allegations that he offered P200 million a month to take over small-town lottery operations.

In 2018, former President Rodrigo Duterte said he asked Ang to help stop illegal activities at the PCSO, even though Ang held no official position in the agency.