FOLLOWING a series of high-profile escapes by fugitives evading arrest-including businessman Charlie Ang alias Atong and Sen. Ronald dela Rosa alias Bato-Malacañang said on Wednesday that there is an urgent need to ‘recalibrate’ government border control and security.
‘It should have been done a long time ago. Because the Philippines is surrounded by sea, one can slip through backdoor routes unnoticed,’ Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in Filipino during a press briefing.
Castro added that authorities should initiate a crackdown on individuals colluding with fugitives.
Her statement came after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reported that Ang-who faces charges over the disappearance of several cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungeros)-had already left the country through ‘backdoor’ routes and was spotted in Cambodia.
Castro noted that Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla has already briefed the President on Ang’s status.
‘At this time, I cannot disclose what was discussed between Secretary Remulla and the President. Furthermore, any operations to be carried out by the DILG and our other law enforcement agencies cannot be revealed to the public,’ Castro said.
She stated that authorities are currently determining if Ang’s escape can be attributed to law enforcement lapses.
‘We cannot immediately conclude that there is a culprit or that someone was negligent. Let us allow the investigation to take its course so we can determine who is truly at fault,’ Castro said.
Despite the incident, Castro emphasized that Remulla continues to enjoy the full trust and confidence of the President.
Aside from Ang, other high-profile figures who have managed to evade arrest include former Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co of Ako Bicol, who was implicated in the flood control controversy, and dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his role in the former Duterte administration’s drug war, which claimed over 6,000 lives.
Co is currently applying for political asylum in France, while dela Rosa was reportedly spotted in Mindanao, according to Remulla. The DILG chief noted that authorities are trying to negotiate dela Rosa’s peaceful surrender, as the lawmaker is currently being protected by an armed group.
Castro urged dela Rosa to surrender to prevent potential violence.
‘Just surrender so that no more blood is shed. And to those providing shelter: the law must be upheld, so do not serve as instruments for individuals who ought to be held accountable,’ she said.
However, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on Wednesday that he could not confirm reports that Ang had fled the country, noting that the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has no official exit record.
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‘I cannot confirm that he is already out of the country because we rely on our immigration records, and based on those records, we have no entry that he left,’ Vida said during an ambush interview.
Vida added that he was unaware of the source of Remulla’s information.
Despite the conflicting reports, Vida assured the public that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will continue prosecuting the murder cases tied to the missing sabungeros.
‘Because of the nature of these cases-these are murder charges-we will pursue our mandate. Our prosecutors will continue presenting relevant evidence before the court,’ Vida said.
‘Although we see these developments as challenges, they are not fatal to the case. We will move forward with the prosecution.’