Atong Ang in danger - report

Charlie "Atong" Ang, the fugitive gambling friend of former president Joseph Estrada knows all the criminal activities of the latter, his son Jinggoy, and former police chief and senator-elect Panfilo Lacson, a local paper quoted a Manila-based Indian national as saying.

"I hope (Ang) will not be killed. He knows too much about the kidnappings done with the blessing of Estrada, Lacson, and Jinggoy. Ang is the key to finishing off Erap, Lacson, Jinggoy and the (crime syndicate) Kuratong Baleleng," Indian national Danny Devnani told the Inquirer.

Devnani managed in 1996 the exclusive Club 419 in San Juan on Estrada's behalf, making him a confidante and one of Estrada's inner circle.

Earlier, Devnani appeared at the Senate blue ribbon, peace and order and anti-drug committees to testify on Ang's alleged role as a leader-turned-negotiator of the Kuratong Baleleng, a gang known to be involved only in bank robberies.

Ang used his security agency to identify possible kidnapping targets in the Chinese-Filipino and Indian communities between 1995 and 1998, said Devnani, adding that "colonels and generals" in the Philippine National Police (PNP) were involved in such activities.

Devnani said he was willing to face Ang and confront him with details of the alleged kidnappings, adding, "He (Ang) should face all his victims in the Chinese-Filipino and Indian communities."

The victims must come forward and tell all they knew of Ang. They should go to the Senate committees investigating accusations against Lacson to start hearings on the kidnapping issue, advised Devnani.

In the club, Devnani claimed to have overheard Ang and Kuratong Baleleng leader Renato Parohinog discuss some kidnapping operations which were allegedly masterminded by Lacson. He did not give details.

Lacson's men were accused of the summary execution of the arrested members of the Kuratong Baleleng gang in 1995. After Estrada's election in 1998, a judge in suburban Quezon City, acquitted Lacson and company. He was eventually elevated to the court of appeals, sources said.

Devnani did not tell how and when he and Estrada were estranged.

At the same time, Devnani urged the Philippine government to immediately advise the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the danger to Ang's life.

FBI agents arrested Ang at the Paris Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada and was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service last Sunday. The Philippine government had request for his extradition, being a co-accused in the plunder charges filed against Estrada at the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.

Robert Shapiro, who helped acquit OJ Simpson from charges that he murdered his wife, is representing Ang in the U.S. Another lawyer, Donald Etra of Los Angeles, is also representing Ang, now known in the U.S. as a famous gambler.

Estrada sent his lawyer Raymond Fortun to confer with Ang's lawyer in the U.S. on Tuesday night Estrada's wife, Sen Luisa Ejercito, said Ang would not turn state witness against the former president who is held in custody at suburban Quezon City's Veterans Medical Memorial Centre.

But Senate President pro tempore Manuel Villar said: "There is a strong possibility (that Ang will turn state witness). He knows so much."

Our Correspondent Adds: Meanwhile, the presidential palace said it is open to any proposal that Ang might offer in order to free himself from suit.

"We're not wooing him, but we're open to any proposal on the part of Ang to present himself as a witness," said presidential spokesperson Rigoberto Tiglao.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave the Justice Department full authority to deal with Ang's case.

"The Justice Department will evaluate Ang's testimony. If it has any value, the Justice Department would consider it seriously," said Tiglao.

"We hope the government's case against the former president would be bolstered with Ang's testimony. He and the former president were very close," said Tiglao.