The Philippines authorities have indicated that they believe that fugitive Charlie “Atong” Ang, wanted in connection with the disappearance of 36 cockfighting enthusiasts from 2021 to 2022, may be hiding in Cambodia.

“He is out of the country. We are confident that he is in that area, Cambodia,” Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Monday.

Remulla added that Ang has $3 billion in cryptocurrency that he could use to pay people off.

“With that kind of money, you can pay people off. But we are not saying he is paying people off in Cambodia. We believe he is somewhere in Southeast Asia or possibly in the Pacific Islands. We are investigating,” he said.

In January, Remulla said authorities had received information from a government witness indicating that Ang was already in Cambodia.

However, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that Ang was hiding in the country.

Ang first gained national attention in 2000 when he became a co-accused in President Joseph Estrada’s impeachment trial.

Last year, Ang was accused by a former security aide of perpetrating the disappearance of at least 36 cockfighting enthusiasts from 2021 to 2022, known as the ‘Luzon sabungero disappearances,’ although he has denied the allegations.

To date, he is wanted following the issuance of an arrest warrant on charges of kidnapping and homicide over the disappearances.