Alias Totoy didn't link any NBI agent to missing sabungero case —Santiago

National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago on Tuesday said that Julie “Dondon” Patidongan or alias Totoy did not link any agent of the bureau to the case of the cockfight enthusiasts or sabungeros who disappeared from 2021 to 2022.

“Alam ninyo, sa isang programa, ay sinabi na ni Totoy na hindi naman daw niya sinasabi na merong involvement ang NBI,” Santiago said in a press briefing.

(You know, in one program, Totoy already said that he wasn’t claiming that the NBI was involved.)

“Kasi sinabihan ko yesterday… sinabihan ko siya na kung sinuman ang NBI na involved, pangalanan mo. Kung hindi mo alam ang pangalan, pwede naman magpa-lineup. But then, in one program, inamin niya na wala siyang sinasabi na may involved na NBI,” he added.

(Because I told him yesterday… I told him that if there really is someone from the NBI involved, he should name them. If he doesn’t know the name, he can request a lineup. But then, in one program, he admitted that he never actually said anyone from the NBI was involved.)

On Monday, Santiago dared Patidongan to name the NBI agents allegedly involved in the alleged execution of the missing sabungeros.

Santiago said the NBI was vindicated by the clarification.

“Ang tiwala ng tao sa amin ayaw ko masira. Ang NBI ay isang institution na pinagkakatiwalaan ng tao,” he said.

(I don’t want to break the people’s trust in us. The NBI is an institution that the public relies on.)

Meanwhile, Santiago reiterated that the NBI is willing to extend its aid in the case, saying that no coordination with the Department of Justice is needed as the bureau is an attached agency. 

“Sabi ko nga, pinagyayabang ko nga we have forensic expertise on the matter: DNA, lie detection, whatever. Kung anong gustong ipa-assist sa amin, kung anong gustong itulong sa amin ay ibibigay namin,” he said.

(As I said, I was pointing out that we have forensic expertise on the matter: DNA, lie detection, whatever. Whatever assistance they want from us, whatever help they need, we will provide.)

Patidongan previously said that the bodies of the 34 missing sabungeros were buried in Taal Lake.

He has also named businessman Atong Ang as a mastermind in the case. He also linked actress Gretchen Barretto to the disappearance.

The two have denied the allegations against them, with Ang saying that Patidongan threatened to link him to the disappearance if he refused to pay P300 million while Barretto said she received a similar threat. —AOL, GMA Integrated News