A circulating photo about Atong Ang “encouraging” the public not to vote for presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was refuted by former actress Gretchen Barretto, Monday, December 27.
In the photo, it was claimed that Ang said, “Mas may tsansa ka pang manalo sa online sabong kesa itaya mo kinabukasan mo kay Bongbong Marcos. Pinaglololoko lang kayo ng BBM na yan.”
Barretto through her Instagram violently denied that Ang has involved himself in politics. She said it was fake news and it was all the work of their business rivals.
“Fake news! Hindi nakikialam sa politics si Mr. Charlie Atong Ang. Ito ay gawain ng aming kalaban sa negosyo.”
View this post on Instagram
She encouraged her friends to share the post and said that Ang would make a statement the following day.
Charlie Tiu Hay Sy Ang, or Atong Ang, is the owner of the online sabong company Lucky 8 Starquest.
Ang has been dubbed by President Rodrigo Duterte as a “gambling lord” which he did not deny and instead calls himself a “legal gambling lord.”
Meanwhile, Barretto, who has taken an interest in cockfighting, is an official member of the Team Alpha of Pitmaster group, a cockfighting organization.
There have been rumors that the two were in a relationship but the former actress has denied it saying they were only business partners, which they were since Barretto’s longtime partner, Tony Boy Cojuangco, is an associate of Ang’s.
Barretto had won a fight in Ang’s own cockfight earlier in October.