(UPDATE) THE government on Thursday announced that the bounty for information leading to the arrest of fugitive businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang has been raised to P20 million from the initial P10 million. Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the money came from confidential funds accorded to the Philippine National Police, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government for cases like this. “There’s no Chippy and Piattos here, we are going to pay real people,” Remulla said, taking a swipe at Vice President Sara Duterte, who had listed people with bogus names that incorporated popular snack brands as recipients of confidential funds. Despite information that Ang has already flown abroad, particularly to Cambodia, Remulla said authorities believe he is still in the country. This followed a statement from Cambodian agencies that Ang was not in their country and that they had no record of his entry or his exit. “We really believe he is still here in the Philippines,” Remulla said. He said he has also secured permission to purchase drones with lidar or light detection and ranging capability. “I’ve been given clearance to procure drones that can penetrate through canopies of trees so you can see what’s underneath trees,” Remulla said. The technology will be used in the all-out manhunt for fugitives such as Ang. Third arrest warrant Meanwhile, a regional trial court in San Pablo City, Laguna, issued a third arrest warrant against Ang in connection with the disappearance of dozens of cockfighting enthusiasts, as authorities intensified efforts to capture him. In an order dated Feb. 6, the San Pablo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 29 ordered the arrest of Ang and five others for kidnapping and serious illegal detention, offenses for which no bail is available. Also named in the warrant were Ryan Jay Orapa, Alfredo Uy Andres, Philip Simborio Almendilla, Joey Natanauan Encarnacion and Aaron Ezrah Lagahit Cabillan. The latest warrant adds to earlier arrest orders issued by courts in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna Batangas, Rizal and Quezon). On Jan. 13, the Santa Cruz, Laguna RTC Branch 26 first ordered Ang’s arrest for the same case, followed by another warrant from the Lipa City RTC in Batangas on Jan. 15. The charges stem from complaints filed by the families of missing “sabungeros” on Aug. 1, 2025, over the disappearance of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts between 2021 and 2022. Ang has remained at large since the first warrants were issued.