The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) is set to place its facilities under red alert status once gaming tycoon Atong Ang is arrested, in line with standard protocol for high-profile detainees.

According to a report by Jecelle Ricafort, BJMP spokesperson Superintendent Jayrex Bustinera noted that declaring a red alert is part of the agency’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) when a suspect involved in a high-profile case is taken into custody.

Bustinera said the Santa Cruz District Jail is already on heightened preparedness following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Regional Trial Court of Santa Cruz, Laguna, Branch 26.

However, he noted that the facility is severely overcrowded, operating at 699 percent congestion, with no available jail cells left.

Despite the congestion, Bustinera stressed that Ang will be mixed with other inmates and will not be given any form of special or VIP treatment, should he be detained at the Santa Cruz facility.

In addition to Santa Cruz District Jail, the BJMP has also placed the San Pablo City Jail and Lipa City Jail on standby, as Ang has pending cases in those areas as well.

Authorities are continuing their manhunt for Ang, who carries a ₱10 million bounty and is being tagged as the alleged mastermind behind the disappearance of several cockfighting enthusiasts, widely known as the “missing sabungeros.”

On Tuesday, Ang’s camp surrendered five firearms to the Mandaluyong City Police Station through his legal counsel, Atty. Gabriel Villareal.

The surrender of the firearms was in compliance with the revocation order on Ang’s firearms licenses issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP).