Año to witnesses in missing sabungeros case: Coordinate with authorities

The Department of the Interior and Local Government on Sunday called on witnesses of the reported abduction and disappearance of 31 cockfight enthusiasts to work with authorities or face charges.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said that he believes that the case will be resolved soon if witnesses collaborate with the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) investigation.

“Sa tingin ko, maso-solve na rin ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Ang hinihintay lang natin dito lumabas pa ‘yung witnesses. I think this will be solved soon. All we are waiting for here is for the witnesses to come out,” he said.

“Hinihikayat natin ‘yung mga may alam, ‘yung involved diyan ano, lumabas na kayo. Mag-volunteer na kayo kasi sooner ay kakasuhan kayo. Delikado ‘yan, ‘yan ay 31 counts ng kidnapping,” he warned.

[We encourage those who know anything and those involved in the case to come out. Volunteer now because sooner, you will be charged. That’s dangerous as this is 31 counts of kidnapping.]

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said the PNP has filed complaints of obstruction of justice against the management personnel of cockfight arenas over the disappearance of the sabungeros.

Meanwhile, at the Senate hearing of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on Thursday, the father of one of the missing sabungeros claimed that the security guards of a Manila cockfight arena were the ones who took his son.

“Masyadong sobra na ito dahil ... 31 buhay ito at 31 pamilya ang naapektuhan at naghahanap ngayon at hindi makatulog" (This is too much because 31 lives are at stake, and 31 families are affected, looking for their loved ones, and can’t sleep), Año said.

The DILG then asked the public and anyone who has information about the issue to step forward and help the authorities solve the case.

“Especially ‘yung mismong na-involve sa abduction na ‘to, ‘yung security guards diyan, ‘yung workers sa loob ng mga cockpit arena, kung may nalalaman kayo mag-step forward na kayo para hindi na kayo madamay sa kaso na ‘to kundi habang buhay na pagkabilanggo aabutin niyo dito,” he said.

(If you know anything, especially those who were involved in this abduction, the security guards, the workers inside the cockpit arenas, step forward to spare yourselves from being dragged into this case. You may face a lifetime imprisonment because of this.)

Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc. is leasing the Manila cockfight arena and is currently operating and managing the property, its president Angelo Niño Santos said during the hearing.

Despite the invitation, no security personnel of the cockpit arenas attended the Senate hearing. Santos committed that the cockfight arena’s security personnel will attend the next hearing.

Senator Dela Rosa said the next hearing is on March 3, Thursday.

Moreover, the Senate on Thursday said it would urge President Rodrigo Duterte to direct the suspension of the licenses of firms operating online cockfighting or e-sabong until the cases of the 31 missing sabungeros is resolved. —LBG, GMA News