DOJ: Abductions of sabungeros carried out in ‘planned, systematic’ manner

The Department of Justice (DOJ)’s preliminary investigation of the missing sabungeros or cockfight enthusiasts showed that the disappearances were implemented in a planned and systematic manner.

According to Dano Tingcungco’s report on “Saksi” on Thursday, different groups of suspects carried out different tasks in the kidnappings and killings of the victims.

The DOJ also noted patterns in the disappearances of the sabungeros from 2021 to 2022.

“The manner by which the crime was committed is so, sabihin nating parang compartmentalized, ‘di ba. Kung titingnan mo, pag may nandaya, may kumakausap, after may kumakausap, may kumukuha, pagkatapos may kumukuha, mayroong gagawa ng kung ano sa kanya, and then mayroon ding magtatapon,” said Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon.

(The manner by which the crime was committed, let’s say, it’s compartmentalized. If you look at it, if someone cheats, then someone talks to the cheater. After someone talks to the cheater, someone abducts him. Then they do something to him. And someone else dumps the body.)

“What other compartment may know may not be known to the others,” he added.

The DOJ said the testimonies of the Patidongan brothers, Julie and Ellakim, helped a lot in reconstructing what happened in the abductions.

It may be recalled that Julie, alias “Totoy,” first told GMA Integrated News about what he knew of the cheating in cockfights and the involvement of policemen in the abduction of the cheating sabungeros.

Ellakim, his brother, claimed to have witnessed the torture of the victims and how their bodies were dumped.

Their testimonies are the basis of the charges to be filed against businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang and 21 other suspects.

The complaints against the Patidongan brothers – who were both accepted into the Witness Protection Program as state witnesses – were all dismissed.

“There is corroboration on the statements of Julie Patidongan by the statement of his brother, and the fact that as we all know, all of the missing relatives of the complainants, we have no knowledge as to their whereabouts,” Fadullon said.

Fadullon said the testimonies of the Patidongan brothers will support the cases for more than 20 out of 34 missing sabungeros. There are ongoing court cases for other missing sabungeros.

Out of the almost 60 personalities mentioned by the Patidongan brothers in their testimonies, 22 were indicted, including Ang.

The charges against the others – including actress Gretchen Barretto – were dismissed because of insufficient evidence.

“For the simple reason that the evidence was not sufficient. Just because one’s name is mentioned, it doesn’t mean they will be indicted. Simply being in the company, simply being associated with a certain person who committed an act does not mean that you’re complicit to the acts that you committed,” Fadullon said.

The DOJ’s evidence does not yet include the remains and bones recovered from Taal Lake because there are no DNA test results yet.

The DOJ is expected to file the cases before different courts next week. The DOJ is also planning to request the court administrator for the consolidation of the cases.

The cases are ongoing before the Manila Regional Trial Court. There will be a preliminary investigation to determine if Ang will be included in these cases before the Manila court. — JMA, GMA Integrated News