Cockpit arena personnel no show at Senate hearing for missing sabungeros

The management and personnel of concerned cockpit arenas failed to attend the Senate hearing on Thursday for the disappearance of cockpit enthusiasts.

At the hearing of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, panel  chairperson Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he will set another hearing as he is eager to have these people as resource persons.

“Alam kong hindi natin matapos ito. Mag-schedule pa tayo ng another hearing dahil yung mga gusto kong resource persons na didikdikin ng tanong ay wala dito. Sana next hearing mag-a-appear sila para lalabas ang katotohanan,” he said.

(I know we cannot finish this. We would have to set another hearing because the resource persons that I want who will be bombarded with questions are not here. I hope next hearing they will appear so the truth will come out.)

When asked by Senator Aquilino ‘“Koko” Pimentel III whom he was referring to, Dela Rosa said he was pertaining to the management, personnel, and security guards of the involved cockpit arenas.

“Yung mga management ng mga arena na naimbitahan natin, yung mga guwardiya, hindi po dumating (The management of the arenas whom we invited, the guards, they did not come),” Dela Rosa replied.

Despite the attendance of a lawyer to represent them, Dela Rosa said he wants these personnel to personally come to the hearing.

“Mas gusto ko na humarap dito yung mga nandoon talaga during that time of the incident, noong nangyari yung pagkawala ng mga tao na nagbe-bet, nagsasabong doon sa arena,” he said.

(I prefer them to present themselves here, those who were really there during that time of the incident when these people betting on the arena disappeared.)

Pimentel expressed support in filing a motion to force the potential resource persons to attend the hearing.

“I will support any motion in the course of this hearing which will force these people to attend our investigative hearing,” Pimentel said.

On Wednesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the number of missing cockfight enthusiasts from different places has risen to 31. — RSJ, GMA News