A businessman filed criminal complaints against an alleged whistleblower who claimed he is behind the disappearance of almost 100 cockfighting enthusiasts.

Gaming tycoon Atong Ang filed the complaints at the Mandaluyong City Prosecutors' Office Thursday before the reported whistleblower and a former employee.

He also accused the two of extorting P300 milion in exchange for not implicating him in the disappearance of the persons.

However, Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto are considered as persons of interest by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the case of missing cockfighters.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in an interview that cases against Ang and Barretto would be filed ‘sooner or later’.

“They will be included, because they were named, so we have to include them as suspects. The fiscals will evaluate it; the group of fiscals assigned will evaluate all the evidence so that we will know what cases to be filed properly” Remulla said.

Remulla said that a case buildup is also being prepared as some stories and information provided by the whistleblower will still be validated.

“There are 20 people in the alpha list, the alpha group of e-sabong (e-cockfighting). The alpha group is the main group that runs the show,” Remulla said.

Ang was accompanied by his lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, in filing the charges of conspiracy to commit attempted robbery with violence or intimidation of persons, grave threats, grave coercion, grave slander, and incriminating innocent persons against the two. Velle White/DMS