The network’s news department responded to the businessman’s statements.
On Thursday, July 3, cockfighting magnate Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang held a press conference to address his implication in the case of the over 30 cockfighters, which had been called as the ‘Missing Sabungeros’ from 3 to 4 years ago.
Ang was named by a certain Dondon Patidongan, who said in past interviews with GMA Integrated News that he has personal knowledge about the whereabouts of the individuals and the masterminds.
Thus, on July 2, GMA aired its special exclusive report on the flagship primetime newscast ’24 Oras,’ where Patidongan named Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto as two of the personalities behind the mystery.
Ang has since lodge a legal complaint to refute Patidongan’s statements, while he also took a swipe at GMA over their reporting.
“‘Di ako pareho ng [GMA] channel 7 na hindi binabalanse lahat. Ang gusto ko lang, balansehin niyo muna bago kayo maglabas (ng balita). Ako, hingin niyo muna side ko,” said Ang.
He continued, “Araw-araw, nilalabas si Dondon (at) series pa. […] Late ako nagsalita ngayon (at) sure ako ‘di ako ico-cover ng channel 7 ngayon,” the businessman was heard saying in the clip aired by GMA.
In response, the network’s news department said that it was only on Wednesday, July 2, that the report on Patidongan’s direct allegations against Ang was broadcast.
GMA also said that they sought Ang’s response when he filed a complaint against the whistleblower, which the news programs also carried.
Moreover, it was also stated that the network also requested a comment before the broadcast from businessman’s legal counsel, but received a reply only after ’24 Oras.’
Hence, the station moved to carry it in the succeeding newscasts, such as ‘Saksi’ and ‘State of the Nation’.
Apart from the exclusive special report on ‘Missing Sabungeros,’ GMA Public Affairs also screened the documentary film entitled ‘The Lost Sabungeros’ in 2024.
The magnate also made comments about it, and told, “Gumawa pa sila (GMA) ng pelikula… Ako na naman ang kontrabida. Ayoko ngang mag-artista.”
Producer-distributor GMA Pictures, a subsidiary of the Kapuso network, shared on its social media pages the art card, with a portion of the caption reading, “Sinundan ng pelikula ang mga pamilyang naghahanap ng hustisya para sa mga nawawalang sabungero at ang mga informant na lumantad at isiniwalat ang mastermind sa likod ng naturang kaso.”
“Tumanggi si Ang na magpaunlak ng panayam sa naturang docu-film,” it added.
Following the fresh statements of Dondon Patidongan, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Sec. Boying Remulla said that Atong Ang and Gretchen Barretto have been tagged as suspects in the ongoing case.
Barretto, as of writing, has not yet made any comments on the matter, but told the media that she will speak up through a formal statement in due course.