Remulla: DOJ may dismiss one missing sabungero case

The Department of Justice (DOJ) may dismiss one of the complaints in connection to the missing sabungeros due to supposed "lack of time and evidence", Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday.

“Kasi hindi enough ‘yung hawak na evidence para ating ma-charge ang isang tao at ‘yung panahon ay kulang-kulang na,” said Remulla.

(Because the evidence we have is not enough to charge a person and the time is no longer sufficient.)

“We operate by periods here kung how many days that they can be pending, how many days prior to any action by the prosecutors before filing. But if we can’t file information, we have to dismiss it without prejudice,” he added.

The Justice secretary did not disclose which case he was referring to.

Remulla, however, said the complaint can still be refiled.

He also assured the families of the sabungeros that they will not give up on the case.

“We will not be shirking from our duty. It’s just that technically we have to do it but we are not running away from it because we still consider these cases to be open and we are waiting for them to be refiled at the proper time,” Remulla said.

In late April, Remulla said tracker teams will be formed to look for the suspects linked to the disappearance of six sabungeros at the Manila Arena in 2022.

Remulla also said it is "never too late" after a family of a missing sabungero expressed dismay over the supposed delay in the formation of the tracker teams.

“Hindi naman. It’s never too late. We’ll find them,” he said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News