Ched Rick Gatchalian

Gretchen Barretto. Photo courtesy of Metro.Style/Metro

Article (news)

'Crucifed without basis': Gretchen Barreto's camp denies alleged involvement in 'missing sabungero' case

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751607793117201910118-gretchen.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Gretchen Barretto. <em>Photo courtesy of Metro.Style/Metro </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Actress Gretchen Barretto decried being tagged as one of the masterminds behind the disappearance of over 30 cockfighters or &quot;sabungeros&quot;, saying she is only an investor in the Pitmasters Group who does not know details of the business. </p><p>Whistleblower Julie Patidongan, alias &quot;Totoy&quot;, has accused her and businessman Atong Ang of links to the disappearances.</p><p>&quot;While he has not witnessed anything that Ms. Barretto has said or done, the whistleblower maliciously speculates she must nonetheless somehow be involved because of her close connection with Mr. Atong Ang,&quot; Baretto said through lawyer Alma Mallonga.</p><p>Totoy has pointed to Barretto as an &quot;alpha member&quot; of the Pitmasters Group, implying she knows about the disappearances.</p><p>Mallonga said the whistleblower&#x27;s change of narrative to label Barretto a &quot;mastermind&quot; showed &quot;illogical reasoning&quot;.</p><p>Following Totoy&#x27;s accounts, the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/3/atong-ang-gretchen-barretto-now-suspects-in-missing-sabungeros-case-doj-1443">Department of Justice has considered Ang and Barretto as suspects</a> and a case build-up is already underway.</p><p>Apart from Patidongan, another former Ang aide, Alan Bantiles has accused Ang of being behind the disappearances and alleged deaths of the sabungeros.</p><div><strong>&#x27;BARRETTO NOT INVOLVED IN OPERATIONS&#x27;</strong></div><p>But Mallonga emphasized — her client only knew so much.</p><p>&quot;To be clear:  Ms. Barretto has only heard about, hence has no relevant knowledge concerning, the disappearances,&quot; she said.</p><p>Mallonga also said Barretto was not involved in the cockfights and the e-sabong operations of Pitmasters &quot;and was merely an investor in the business&quot; among around 20 who are considered &quot;alpha members&quot;. </p><p>She added her client was never at any meeting to approve or enforce the disappearances of the cockfighting enthusiasts.</p><p>&quot;The proposition is so absurd, it is plain invention,&quot; she said.</p><p>Mallonga said Barretto recognizes the importance of providing justice to the victims and their families, that can only be served through a thorough investigation based on evidence and facts.</p><p>&quot;Ms. Barretto regrets that she is being crucified without basis, and has become the subject of unsavory speculation based on rumor,&quot; she said. &quot;Wishful thinking borne out of malicious desperation and speculation are not evidence.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/4/-sana-may-hustisya-para-sa-aming-mahihirap-missing-sabungeros-kin-0926">&#x27;Sana may hustisya para sa aming mahihirap&#x27;: missing sabungeros’ kin find hope for justice after 4 years</a></div><p>Like Ang, Barretto said the whistleblower asked her for money to spare her from accusations.</p><p>&quot;She refused because she had done nothing wrong,&quot; Mallonga explained.</p><p>Barretto is hoping for an &quot;objective&quot; investigation that will prove her innocence.</p><p>Aside from Barretto and Ang, Patidongan and Brown have said there were several policemen, a former local government official, and an ex-judge who were involved in the case.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/2/whistleblower-former-vice-mayor-actress-other-officials-allegedly-involved-in-missing-sabungeros-1256">Former vice mayor, actress, other officials allegedly involved in missing sabungeros case, says whistleblower</a></div><p>&quot;Totoy&quot; has urged the actress to come forward and serve as a second witness to the case.</p><p>He also denied that he demanded money from Ang, saying it was the latter who tried to bribe him.</p><p>Ang filed <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/2/businessman-atong-ang-to-file-charges-vs-missing-sabungeros-whistleblowers-2053">complaints against Patidongan and Brown</a> on Thursday. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fmLiPmSs7uw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Actress Gretchen Barretto decried being tagged as one of the masterminds behind the disappearance of over 30 cockfighters or "sabungeros" after whistleblower "Totoy" accused her and businessman Atong Ang, her lawyer said Friday.</p>

Actress Gretchen Barretto decried being tagged as one of the masterminds behind the disappearance of over 30 cockfighters or "sabungeros" after whistleblower "Totoy" accused her and businessman Atong Ang, her lawyer said Friday.

Gretchen Barretto not involved in sabong operations, sabungero disappearances — lawyer

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Gretchen Barretto not involved in sabong operations, sabungero disappearances — lawyer

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 04, 2025 02:18 PM PHT

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ANC Promo

Atong Ang

Missing sabungeros

Alyas Totoy

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