DOJ seeks arrest warrant anew vs. accused in missing sabungero case

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said the department is still seeking the re-issuance of an arrest warrant against the six accused in the case of missing sabungeros before a Manila court.

“Hihingin natin na mag-issue ulit ng warrant of arrest para ma ano ito, para matapos na ito nang maayos,” Remulla said in an ambush interview.

(We will ask them to issue again an arrest warrant so we can finish this.)

In January, the Court of Appeals (CA) cancelled the bail of the six accused in the case, ruling that the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 40 committed grave abuse of discretion when it granted their bail petition.

Accused Julie Patidongan, Gleer Codilla, Mark Carlo Zabala, Virgilio Bayog, Johnny Consolacion, and Roberto Matillano Jr. were granted temporary liberty in December 2023 after posting bail of P3 million each.

The National Prosecution Service has already asked the Manila court for their rearrest in January 2025.

Meanwhile, asked why an arrest warrant was needed following the cancellation of the bail, Remulla said that an individual cannot be deprived of their liberty without any cause.

The six accused are facing six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention over the disappearance of sabungeros John Claude Inonog, Rondel Cristorum, Mark Joseph Velasco, Rowel Gomez, and brothers James Baccay and Marlon Baccay.

The sabungeros left Tanay, Rizal at 1 p.m. on January 13, 2022, to go to the Manila Arena but were forced to board a gray van at around 7:30 p.m.—AOL, GMA Integrated News