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Aguirre denies he's 'ninong' of Kim Wong's child

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<h2>Justice chief fends off Atong Ang&#x27;s gambling, extortion accusations</h2><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/04/28/aguirre-ang.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Justice Vitaliano Aguirre II and Charlie &quot;Atong&quot; Ang. <cite>File/Composite</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Taking to task the allegations of gambling operator Charlie &quot;Atong&quot; Ang, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Wednesday denied any involvement in the $81-million Bangladesh Bank heist.</p><p>Aguirre said he never served as a &quot;<a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/17/bangladesh-bank-heist-aguirre-is-ninong-to-kim-wong-says-ang"><strong>ninong</strong></a>&quot; or protector of the family of casino junket operator Kim Wong, who earlier admitted to having received $35 million of the funds stolen from the Bangladesh Central Bank in February 2016.</p><p>&quot;Hindi ako ninong ng kahit sinong anak ni Kim Wong. Kailan ko lang nakilala iyan, siguro wala pang ilang buwan lang,&quot; Aguirre said in a phone interview with radio DZMM.</p><p>(I am not a godfather to any child of Kim Wong. I only got to know him recently, just a few months ago.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/03/17/16/who-is-kim-wong">Who is Kim Wong?</a></li></ul><p>Suspected hackers from China transferred $81 million from Bangladesh central bank’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to 4 accounts at a branch of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) in Makati.</p><p>The money was quickly withdrawn and later disappeared in the huge casino industry in the country.</p><p>Wong admitted in a Senate hearing that $35 million of the funds were remitted to him. He returned only $15 million, saying that the rest of the money ended up with other casino personalities.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/04/16/casino-agent-wong-surrenders-p250m-more-to-authorities">Kim Wong surrenders P250M more to authorities</a></li></ul><p>Ang claimed Tuesday that Aguirre was a &quot;ninong&quot; of Wong&#x27;s family. He claimed this is the reason why the justice chief excluded the businessman from the filing of criminal charges in connection with the heist.</p><p>Aguirre, during the DZMM interview, said he played no part in the heist and the succeeding investigation.</p><p>&quot;Wala akong kinalaman din d&#x27;yan sapagkat ako ay nasa Office of the Secretary of Justice. Ang nagpalabas niyan -- lumabas iyan noong nasa Amerika ako -- ay ang National Prosecution Service,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Hindi po dumadaan sa akin ang anumang resolusyon tungkol sa Bangladesh na iyan.&quot;</p><p>(I had no part in that because I work for the Department of Justice. That was investigated by the National Prosecution Service when I am still in America. No resolution regarding the Bangladesh heist passed through my office.)</p><p>Aguirre added Ang could not have had insider knowledge about the heist. &quot;Anong pakialam mo d&#x27;yan, Atong Ang? Wala ka namang kinalaman d&#x27;yan sa Bangladesh case,&quot; he said.</p><div><strong>DELUGE OF ACCUSATIONS</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1454484" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>Aguirre went on to fend off several other accusations that Ang has hurled against him.</p><p>The justice secretary denied Ang&#x27;s claim that he ordered 2 Immigration officials to extort money from gambling tycoon Jack Lam, who allegedly employed hundreds of undocumented Chinese workers in his online casino in Pampanga.</p><p>Former Immigration deputy commissioners <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/12/13/16/two-duterte-frat-brods-figure-in-corruption-scandal "><strong>Michael Robles and Al Argosino</strong></a>, Aguirre said, have absolved him from the alleged extortion during a Senate investigation that Ang also attended.</p><p>He also denied allowing Wally Sombero, Lam&#x27;s alleged aide who <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/31/17/cctv-shows-bribe-transfer-between-lam-aide-bi-men"><strong>handed P50 million</strong></a> to Argosino and Robles, to temporarily leave the country in January.</p><p>Aguirre said he refused to grant Sombero&#x27;s request for an allow departure order and that the latter only left the country because of an Immigration officer&#x27;s &quot;negligence.&quot;</p><p>He told Ang: &quot;Ikaw ay nag-testify doon, pumunta ka sa Senado. Bakit hindi mo sinabi iyang sinasabi mo ngayon?&quot;</p><p>(You also testified before the Senate. Why didn&#x27;t you reveal these accusations that you are making now?)</p><p>Lastly, Aguirre denied using his authority to promote the Small Town Lottery (STL) operations of his brother, Engineer Ogie Aguirre, while plotting to kill his competitor, Ang.</p><p>&quot;Iyung kapatid ko, malinis iyan. Walang iligal na ginagawa, walang masamang makipag-usap sa mga possible partners, financiers,&quot; Aguirre said.</p><p>&quot;Iyang pagpapatay ng tao, hindi ko maaaring gawin iyan. May takot po tayo sa Diyos.&quot;</p><p>Ang is an adviser of Meridien Vista Gaming Corp., which operates the Virtual Two lottery game in head-on competition with STL.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/17/aguirre-eyes-probe-into-gaming-firm-linked-to-atong-ang">RELATED STORY: Aguirre eyes probe into gaming firm linked to Atong Ang</a></li></ul><p>Aguirre has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/17/tagged-in-bangladesh-heist-and-stl-aguirre-orders-own-men-to-probe-him"><strong>investigate Ang&#x27;s allegations</strong></a> against him.</p>

<p>NINONG: Taking to task the allegations of gambling operator Charlie "Atong" Ang, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Wednesday denied any involvement in the $81-million Bangladesh Bank heist.</p>

NINONG: Taking to task the allegations of gambling operator Charlie "Atong" Ang, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Wednesday denied any involvement in the $81-million Bangladesh Bank heist.

Aguirre denies he's 'ninong' of Kim Wong's child

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Aguirre denies he's 'ninong' of Kim Wong's child

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 03, 2017 08:54 AM PHT

|

Updated May 03, 2017 09:49 AM PHT

Read More:

DZMM

Atong Ang

Vitaliano Aguirre

Bangladesh heist

Jack Lam

extortion gambling

STL

small town lottery

Kim Wong

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