Pre-trial on missing e-sabong agent's case set for June

A pre-trial hearing on the disappearance of an e-sabong agent, who was allegedly abducted in his home in 2021, is set to start in June.

According to Emil Sumangil’s report on “24 Oras” on Monday, the San Pablo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 29 will begin the proceedings on the case of e-sabong agent Ricardo “Jonjon” Lasco who has been missing since August 31, 2021.

Expected to take the witness stand is the victim’s wife, Princess, who  saw her husband’s alleged kidnapping in their residence in Barangay San Lucas.

“Ang hirap maka-move on lalo na wala pa ring nangyayari sa kaso. Patagal nang patagal. Sana lang po hindi naman matabunan 'yung kaso nitong nangyari kay Jon at sa mga iba pang nawawala na sabungero,” said Princess.

(It’s hard to move on, especially because our case has no developments. We just hope Jon’s case will not be buried as well as those of other missing sabungeros.)

Authorities earlier filed robbery and kidnapping charges against several provincial police officers including Police Staff Sergeant Daryl Panghangaan, Patrolman Roy Navarete, and Patrolman Rigel over Lasco’s abduction.

The victim’s family hoped that justice would be served as they allegedly had evidence against the accused.

“Sa tingin namin, sa tingin ng aming kliyente, talagang sila ang nagkakasala, at sabi ko nga, binigyan na tayo ng dates na patunayan ito at kami naman ay confident na sa pagdinig na ito mapapakinggan ang panig ng mga biktima,” Atty. Howard Calleja, the victim’s legal counsel, said.

(Our clients think that they are the kidnappers and like I said, we were given dates to prove it. We’re confident that our side will be heard in these hearings.)

However, the legal counsel of one of the suspects said the police officers had no involvement in the case.

“Sinabit lang ang mga pulis na ito, wala silang kasalanan dito…Idinidiin lang ang mga pulis dito, paniwala ko,” Atty. Alvin Exconde said.

(The police officers were innocent. They were just used as fall guys, I think.) — Sundy Mae Locus/DVM, GMA Integrated News