Court junks motion questioning bail grant to 6 accused in missing sabungeros' case

A Manila court has denied "for lack of merit" the motion of government prosecutors questioning the grant of bail to the six accused in the case of missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts)

According to Saleema Refran's "24 Oras" report, the Department of Justice stood firm that it would pursue the case to get justice for the disappearance of the sabungeros in 2022.

In December 2023, the Manila Regional Trial Court, allowed the accused to post a bail of P3 million or P500,000 for each case of the missing persons.

The recent decision of the court means that the temporary freedom of the accused security personnel of the Manila arena will remain. 

In its seven-page decision, the court noted that it found no sufficient reason to reverse its previous ruling. 

"It bears stressing that the arguments raised by the prosecution in its Motion have been exhaustively passed upon by this Court in its December 11, 2023 Resolution and finds no compelling reason to reverse the same," the court said.

"Hindi pa rin kumbinsido ang korte na napatunayan ng prosekusyon na nagkaroon ng pamemwersa doon sa pagkuha doon sa mga tao o nakita man lang na sila yung magkakasama hanggang doon sa paglabas nila ng Manila arena," said Attorney Richard Anthony Fadullon, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor. 

(The court is still not convinced that the prosecution has proven that the victims were forcibly taken or that they were seen together until they left the Manila arena.)

Fadullon said the Department of Justice is studying "the possibility of bringing it up on certiorari" before the Court of Appeals.

"Up until now, considering na ang huling nakitang kasama nitong mga nawawalang sabungero ay yung mga tauhan, yung mga akusado at that time. Hanggang sa ngayon, hindi pa rin sila natatagpuan. Hindi pa rin sila nakikita," he said. 

(Up until now, considering that the last people seen with these missing sabungeros were these employees, the accused at that time. So far, they have not been found. They are still missing.)

GMA Integrated News is still trying to get a comment from the families of the missing sabungeros. 

"Hindi po natin titigilan yung pag-usig sa kasong ito. Hanggang sa huli, ilalaban natin itong kasong ito. Gagawin natin ang lahat ng pwede nating gawin para ilahad sa korte kung ano ang nangyari dito sa mga biktima," Fadullon assured the families. 

(We will not stop the prosecution in this case. We will continue the fight for this case. We will do everything we can to present to the court what happened to the victims.)—Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News