CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)
MANILA – The 34 “sabungeros” (cockfighting enthusiasts) whose whereabouts remain unknown to date are still considered missing as the authorities have yet to find proof that they are dead, a police official said Wednesday.
“They are still considered missing unless we see evidence like bodies. So far, we have yet to find any proof of life. I don't want to give false hopes. We will still pray for a miracle,” Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) told reporters in mixed English and Filipino during a press conference at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Citing his experience in anti-kidnapping operations, Lee said kidnap-for-ransom suspects usually do not keep their victims for a long time.
“Common criminals engaged in kidnapping especially here in Luzon, they don't hold on to their victims for a long time because they just want money or they have other intentions. In Mindanao or in kidnapping cases perpetrated by the NPA (New People's Army), they can keep them even for years. Kidnappers have different styles," he added.
Lee said more complaints will be filed soon against suspects Julie Patidongan or “Dondon” and seven security guards in connection with the Manila Arena case.
He said they are looking for some cops involved in another case.
This is aside from five police officers who were involved in the case of a missing online cockfighting master agent Ricardo Lasco in Laguna last year who have been dismissed from the service.
“May mga feelers din yan na pinaparating po namin, hindi lang mga videos but also yung mismong nakakita at meron gustong lumabas. That's why we are working on it and hopefully ay magkaroon kami para sa mas matibay na ebidensya namin (There are also feelers that we are conveying, not just videos but also those who have seen it and want to come out. That's why we are working on it and hopefully we will have more solid evidence),” Lee said.
“Mayroon pa kaming mga hinahanap na mga personalities diyan and hopefully ay makapaghanap pa rin kami ng mga kaukulang ebidensya para makapagsampa din kami ng mga karagdagan na kaso… Meron po nasa service, karamihan nasa service and mayroon din mga civilian may kasama doon kaya lang, nagbase kasi ang DOJ [Department of Justice] sa statement ng isang witness na hindi sila puwedeng maisama (We are still looking for other personalities there and hopefully we can still find relevant evidence so that we can also file additional cases... There are some in the service, most of them are in the service and there are also civilians who are with us, that's all, based on because the DOJ in the statement of a witness that they could not be included),” he added.
On Tuesday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the chances that the missing “sabungeros” would turn up alive are growing increasingly slim.
He said the presumption of death will contribute to how the prosecutors will go after the suspects and how the courts will appreciate the cases.
In a Nov. 25 resolution made public on Monday, the DOJ found probable cause to indict Staff Sgt. Daryl Panghangaan, Patrolmen Roy Navarete and Regil Brosas on charges of robbery and kidnapping while it cleared Lt. Henry Sasaluya and Master Sgt. Michael Claveria.
State prosecutors considered the testimonies of all the witnesses, as well as the closed circuit television footage of the kidnapping of Lasco, sufficient to establish the case.
The suspects were positively identified by the witnesses based on their statements and other pieces of evidence.
They were identified as the group that entered the house of Lasco, introduced themselves as National Bureau of Investigation agents and arrested the victim by virtue of a purported arrest warrant for large-scale estafa on Aug. 30, 2021 in Barangay San Lucas 1.
They also took with them the personal belongings and cash of the victim and his relatives amounting to over PHP10.4 million.
The case of Lasco is one of the eight cases handled by the CIDG Special Investigation Task Group “Sabungero” which took cognizance of the case for investigation after the complaint for kidnapping filed by the victim’s family before the San Pablo City, Laguna prosecutor's office was dismissed. (PNA)
