The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is verifying reports that gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang may have already fled the country, Director Atty. Melvin Matibag said.

According to a report by RH Jecelle Ricafort, the NBI director said authorities have yet to obtain official confirmation of Ang’s alleged departure and are relying only on open-source intelligence.

“This is yet to be verified. We have no official information on this. Other than the open source intel that we have na nakita namin sa report, yun pa lang,” Matibag said.

Matibag declined to disclose specific locations where operatives have searched for Ang, who has been tagged as a suspected mastermind in the case involving missing cockfighting enthusiasts, locally known as “sabungeros.”

He added that investigators may revisit areas they have previously searched as part of continuing operations.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier said it believes Ang is still in the country.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla previously said authorities nearly cornered Ang after he was reportedly spotted in Cavite. Remulla said the gambling figure had been moving between locations in the CALABARZON region every two days to evade arrest.

Courts in Laguna and Cavite have issued arrest warrants against Ang, who carries a ₱20 million bounty, in connection with the alleged kidnapping and killing of several sabungeros between 2021 and 2022.