6 in missing sabungeros kidnapping case nabbed in Parañaque

Six of the accused in the cases of missing sabungeros or cockfighting enthusiasts have been arrested in Parañaque, Philippine National Police chief Police General Benjamin Acorda said on Friday.

Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group have arrested Julie Patidongan, Carlo Zabala, Virgilio Bayog, Roberto Matillano, Jr., Johnry Consolacion, and Gleer Codilla.

According to Emil Sumangil’s report on “24 Oras”, the PNP-CIDG located the whereabouts of the suspects through an informant.

The suspects were arrested following a two-month surveillance operation.

“Nagkaroon kami ng tracers on these suspects kung saan sila. We cannot divulge our methodologies until such time. The last three days we conducted or executed the 24-hour surveillance intelligence operation kaya natunton namin ang location nila,” PNP-CIDG RFU 4A Chief Police Colonel Jacinto Malinao Jr. said.

(We had our tracers locate the suspects. We cannot divulge our methodologies until such time. The last three days we conducted or executed the 24-hour surveillance intelligence operation so we traced them.)

The families of missing sabungeros John Claude Inonog, Rondel Cristorum, Mark Joseph Velasco, Rowel Gomez, and brothers James Baccay and Marlon Baccay filed formal complaints against the six security officers at the Manila Arena over their disappearance in January 2022.

Complaints for six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention were filed on March 18, 2022 against the six suspects before the Department of Justice.

The CIDG also filed a separate case for kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the disappearance of the missing online sabong master agent Ricardo Lasco, who was reportedly abducted on August 30, 2021 in San Pablo, Laguna.   

Three former policemen linked to the kidnapping of Lasco have already surrendered.

The DOJ in January 2023 filed kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges against six individuals allegedly involved in the disappearance of six sabungeros before the Manila Regional Trial Court. 

The families, however, withdrew from the cases last month, prompting the kin of other victims to express disappointment. 

Meanwhile, Malinao said the informant is set to receive the P6-million reward the government previously promised to anyone who could provide information that would lead to the suspects’ arrest.

For her part, Jaja Pilarta, the partner of Inonog, expressed doubt that the operation was planted. She also said she expected the suspects to surrender following reports that some of the victims’ families opted for a case settlement.

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon said the cases would proceed, and the court would decide whether or not to give weight to the withdrawal of the families from the cases. —NB/VBL, GMA Integrated News