Photo courtesy of Avito Dalan/Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice (DOJ) separately criticized lawyer Gabriel Villareal after he publicly said he advised his client, Charlie “Atong” Ang, not to surrender despite standing arrest warrants.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said such guidance undermines respect for court authority, adding that his office is preparing to raise the matter before the Supreme Court for possible sanctions against the lawyer.
Remulla stressed that members of the legal profession are expected to uphold the rule of law and not encourage actions that could be seen as defiance of lawful court orders.
The DOJ likewise described Villareal’s remarks as unethical, warning that advising a client to evade arrest could expose both lawyer and accused to additional legal consequences.
Ang is facing multiple counts of kidnapping with homicide and serious illegal detention in connection with the disappearance of cockfighting enthusiasts, with authorities earlier branding him armed, dangerous, and among the country’s most wanted.
As criticism mounted, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) ordered tighter coordination and wider information drives to locate Ang, with search teams tracking possible movements across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Law enforcement agencies urged the public to report any information on Ang’s whereabouts, emphasizing that court-issued warrants must be enforced to ensure accountability and public trust in the justice system.