15 cops under ‘restricted duty’ over missing sabungeros — SOJ Remulla

Fifteen police officers who allegedly carry out executions in the missing sabungeros case have been placed under restricted duty, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Friday.

“May restriction na nga sa 15 tao ng PNP na involved dito sa missing sabungero case,” Remulla said in an ambush interview.

(There is already a restriction imposed on the 15 PNP personnel involved in the missing sabungero case.)

Asked what their involvement is, Remulla said they “carry out executions.”  

“Restricted duty na sila. They have to report already to offices para doon na sila. Para hindi na sila makasakit,” Remulla said.

(They are now on restricted duty. They have to report to offices so they remain there. This is to prevent them from causing any further harm.)

Meanwhile, the families of the missing sabungeros met with Remulla and other officials of the Department of Justice earlier in the day.

The visit came after Remulla said that businessman Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barreto are now considered suspects in the case after one of the accused linked them to the abductions.

“Ang sabi ko naman sa kanila, pumasok kami dito three years ago, the deadline was always yesterday. Laging mga problema namin, backlog lagi ang problema unang pasok pa lang namin,” Remulla said.

(What I told them was, we entered here three years ago, and the deadline was always yesterday. From the very start, our main problem has always been the backlog.)

“Pero hindi kami tumitigil talaga. We’re not leaving any stone unturned para ma-solve natin itong mga kaso na ito,” he added.

(But we really never stop. We’re not leaving any stone unturned to solve these cases.)

Accused Julie "Dondon" Patidongan, alyas Totoy, tagged Ang as the mastermind behind the abductions. Patidongan, who claimed to be a security chief in Ang's farms and cockfight arenas, also linked Barretto to the disappearances. 

For his part, Ang maintained his innocence as he filed a complaint against Patidongan on Thursday, accusing the latter of trying to extort P300 million from him.

He said Patidongan and another former employee threatened to implicate him in the missing sabungeros case if he refused to give them P300 million.

Ang's camp also appealed to the government to look at other leads instead of one lead that is "false and misleading." His camp asked the government to not believe in a whistleblower who allegedly distorts information.

For her part, Barretto told GMA Integrated News that she would call as soon as her team is ready.

Remulla said Patidongan is currently under police protection.—AOL, GMA Integrated News