MANILA, Philippines — As far as the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is concerned, fugitive businessman Atong Ang is still in the country. in the absence of a legal exit record.
Immigration spokesman Dana Sandoval on Wednesday issued the clarification amid reports that Ang may have fled the country, probably in Cambodia where the embattled businessman has reportedly set up an "e-sabong" business.
"Our records indicated that Ang has not left the country. There is no record that he legally exited in any of our major airports or ports." Sandoval said.
Sandoval agreed with the presumption by some investigators that if Ang had left the country, he may have left via the southern backdoor, the route commonly used by human traffickers.
She said though that the backdoor was also tightly watched now by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), local government units (LGUs) and local enforcement agencies (LEAs), as recommended by a study conducted by the Inter-agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).
"The IACAT study on illegal backdoor roures recommended better engagement of local government units and local enforcement agencies with the IACAT in the implementation of anti-trafficking laws in the southern backdoor," added Sandoval.
