3 truths for young journalists from the ‘Lost Sabungeros’ talkback session

“Lost Sabungeros,” the first-ever investigative documentary film of GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures, finally premiered on the big screen at the QCinema International Film Festival on November 9.

This, after a canceled premiere at the Cinemalaya in August and more than two years of production amid threats against the lives of the team behind the film.

The documentary looks into the mystery that unfolded between April 2021 and January 2022, when 34 cockfighters—or sabungeros—from different parts of the Philippines vanished without a trace.

Award-winning Kapuso journalist Kara David led the talkback session following the film's screening, alongside director Bryan Brazil, producer Joselito Chang Tan, executive producer and head writer Lee Joseph Castel, screenwriter Mary Zeliet Paris, and the families of the missing cockfighters.

Here are three nuggets of truths shared during the talkback session.

‘Do it scared’

Looking back on how “Lost Sabungeros came to be, Brazil admitted that he was unfamiliar with “sabong” or cockfighting and felt a sense of fear while pursuing the story. The film has been dubbed by the public as “the most controversial documentary film of 2024."

Meanwhile, Paris emphasized the need for courage and curiosity in uncovering the mystery of the missing cockfighters.

“Sometimes, you just have to do it scared. Hindi naman kailangan na it should be logical na walang risk ‘to, it’s safe, sometimes kailangan lang talaga natin gawin," she said.

[Sometimes, you just have to do it scared. It doesn’t always have to be logical or risk-free, sometimes we just really need to do it."]

"Lost Sabungeros" stands as one of the riskiest and most courageous investigative documentaries produced up to date by GMA Public Affairs. During its filming, there have been reports of unknown individuals monitoring the production team and their case studies.

Despite the fears, however, Tan shared that they as journalists took on the challenge of telling the story of the missing sabungeros' families.

“Yung takot kasi, tingin ko bahagi na ng trabaho ng media. Tayo bilang mga mamamahayag, tinanggap natin ‘yung hamon ng trabaho para, hindi lang actually para sa amin, kung hindi sila mabibigyan ng tiyansa o plataporma para ikuwento ‘yung mga buhay nila at maghanap ng hustisya, sinong magkuwe-kuwento para sa kanila?” Tan said.

["Fear, I believe, is part of the job in the media. As journalists, we have accepted the challenge of this work, not just for ourselves, but to give them a chance or a platform to tell their stories and seek justice. If not us, who will tell their stories?"]

Tan also believes that it is important for journalists to take a stand in the face of fear, with the production team taking inspiration from the loved ones of the missing cockfighters who still chose to speak and show up despite the threats and risks involved.

‘Hindi susuko’

Some relatives of the missing cockfighters believe that exposing the cases of their missing relatives in different media outlets would help them find their loved ones. However, years have passed and not a single sabungero has been found.

“Para po kasi sa amin kapag may media, mas madali kaming matutulungan na mahanap sila. Kaso, kahit na pala sobrang dami na ng media na tumutok sa amin, talagang matindi iyong kalaban namin, talagang hindi pa rin sila pinakita,” said one of the relatives of the missing cockfighters said.

[“For us, having the media would help make it easier for us in finding them. But, even though many media outlets have already focused on us, the challenge we face is really tough, and they still haven’t been found.”]

Despite having numerous dialogues with the government regarding the status of the missing cockfighters, their relatives continue to hold on to the hope that their loved ones are still alive.

“Kung inaakala po nila na patatagalin po nila ‘yung kaso para makalimot kami, para bumigay kami, mawalan kami ng pag-asa, hindi po. Kahit sa edad ko po, mag-76 na po ako, sa kahuli-hulihan po ng aking hininga — hindi po ako susuko. Ilalaban ko po ang aking anak,” said one of the relatives of the missing cockfighters.
 
["If they think they can delay the case to make us forget, to make us give up, or lose hope, they're wrong. Even at my age, I am about to turn 76, until my last breath—I will not give up. I will fight for my child."]

David also said during the talkback session that not knowing whether the missing sabungeros are dead or alive does not mean that justice will be dead as well.

‘Keep telling stories’

In the final part of the talkback session, Brazil underscored the power of documentaries in unfolding significant social issues and gave young journalists the advice to “keep telling stories.”

Castel also highlighted that "Lost Sabungeros" is a good opportunity for everyone, especially journalists, to spotlight the issue and be the voice of the missing sabungeros and their families.

“Gamitin natin ang opportunity na ito na mag-ingay. May kakayahan po tayo na maging tinig din nila, kasi alam natin na iyong bansa natin, mabilis mag-move on sa mga susunod na isyu at nakakalimutan ‘yung ibang importanteng isyung tinututukan. Magandang oportunidad ito na tayo’y maging tinig para sa mga biktima ng mga nawawalang sabongero,” he said.

["Let’s use this opportunity to make some noise. We have the ability to be their voice because we know that in our country, people quickly move on to the next issue and forget about other important matters that deserve attention. This is a great opportunity for us to be the voice for the victims of the missing cockfighters."]

David concluded the talkback session by thanking the families of the missing sabungeros for their bravery. She also emphasized that this is not just the story of the missing cockfighters' families, but also a story about justice in the Philippines.

"This is about justice in our country, so kapag nakamit nila ang hustisya, ito ay nakamit na rin ng buong bansa natin ‘yung hustisya. So, more than them, we should also fight for this precious thing called ‘justice’ na sana hindi pa rin siya patay dito sa bayang ito." 

["This is about justice in our country, so when they achieve justice, our entire nation will have achieved it as well. More than just for them, we should also fight for this precious thing called 'justice,' which we hope is not yet dead in this country"].

“Lost Sabungeros” had its final screening on November 12 at Gateway Mall. — CDC, GMA Integrated News