MANILA – The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has filed criminal cases against five cops tagged in the missing online sabong (cockfighting) agent in Laguna last year.
The CIDG said kidnapping/serious illegal detention and robbery were filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Staff Sgt. Daryl Paghangaan; Pat. Roy Navarete; Lt. Henry Sasaluya; Master Sgt. Michael Claveria; and Pat. Regil Brosas, all members of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB), Laguna Police Provincial Office; and several John Does, for the alleged abduction of Ricardo Lasco.
The five cops allegedly involved in the case are now under restrictive custody of the Regional Holding and Accounting Unit of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 4A (Calabarzon).
The suspects were positively identified by witnesses based on their statements and other pieces of evidence as to the group of men who entered the house of Lasco a.k.a. “Jun”.
The suspects introduced themselves as National Bureau of Intelligence (NBI) personnel and then arrested the victim by virtue of a document purported to be a warrant of arrest for the crime of large scale estafa on August 30, 2021, in Barangay San Lucas 1, San Pablo City, Laguna.
Lasco is a master agent of e-sabong and a real estate agent who went missing after being abducted by the said suspects.
The suspects also took with them numerous personal belongings of the victim and his relatives worth more or less PHP500,000 and PHP180,000 cash.
“Hindi coincidence itong allegation ng mga kaanak ng biktimang nawawala na the same police officers are involved so this is really a serious allegation kaya naman po sinigurado po ng regional director po ng Regional Police Office Calabarzon na ito po ay imbestigahan (This is not a coincidence that the relatives of the missing victim said that the same police officers are involved so this is really a serious allegation. The regional director of the Regional Police Office Calabarzon has ensured that this will be investigated),” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in a TV interview during the filing of the complaint before the DOJ on Monday.
Fajardo said PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos assured that he will get to the bottom of said case.
The CIDG said it is continuously gathering information to trace and locate the victim while a continuous investigation is being conducted on the identified suspects, especially on their connection with unscrupulous groups.
Meanwhile, investigators are relentless in identifying the remaining suspects for filing of appropriate charges against them.
During a Senate investigation, a certain Pat. Roy Navarrete was identified as one of the armed men who took Lasco. This triggered speculations that policemen are involved in some of the cases.
This was further fueled after two more policemen were positively identified.
All of the missing "sabungeros" earlier reported remain unaccounted for.
Reports said their abduction was allegedly a part of the crackdown of online cockfighting operators against those engaged in game-fixing. (PNA)
