Camille Naredo

Members of the Justice for the Missing Sabungeros Network hold a press conference in Quezon City on July 14, 2025, to call for a thorough investigation and justice for the missing cockfighting enthusiasts who disappeared between 2021 and 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Justice for the Missing Sabungeros Network

Agatha Gregorio

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/175629277405120250714-missing-sabungeros-patidongan-MD-7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Members of the Justice for the Missing Sabungeros Network hold a press conference in Quezon City on July 14, 2025, to call for a thorough investigation and justice for the missing cockfighting enthusiasts who disappeared between 2021 and 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Members of the Justice for the Missing Sabungeros Network hold a press conference in Quezon City on July 14, 2025, to call for a thorough investigation and justice for the missing cockfighting enthusiasts who disappeared between 2021 and 2022. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The complaints filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in relation to the “missing sabungeros” case already underwent evaluation and were certified sufficient for preliminary investigation, according to DOJ Asec. Eliseo Cruz.</p><p>Charges under these complaints include violations of RA 10353 on enforced or involuntary disappearance, Revised Penal Code Article 267 on kidnapping, Article 248 on murder, Article 212 on corruption of public officials, PD 1829 on obstruction of justice, RA 3019 on graft, and RA 11983 or the New Philippine Passport Act, Cruz said during the House Committee on Human Rights’ hearing on Wednesday, August 27.</p><p>Cruz added that 401 pieces of human skeletal remains were recovered from 17 locations in Taal Lake as reported by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).</p><p>Of the remains, 163 samples were subjected to DNA testing, according to Philippine National Police Forensic Group (PNP FG) Director PBGen Danilo Bacas.</p><p>But none of these matched the samples obtained from relatives of the missing sabungeros.</p><p>According to Bacas, as of now, there are only 29 samples from relatives.</p><p>“There are a total of 163 samples were subjected to DNA. Then the rest po noon, Sir, ay hindi na po– nag-deteriorate na po… As of the report namin, Sir, wala pa pong nag-match doon sa mga samples na nakuha namin sa mga relatives ng missing sabungeros,” Bacas told lawmakers.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/27/subpoenas-out-soon-as-sabungeros-case-goes-to-preliminary-investigation-stage-1828">READ: Subpoenas out soon as &#x27;sabungeros&#x27; case goes to preliminary investigation stage</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>NAPOLCOM ON LINK BETWEEN DRUG WAR, MISSING SABUNGEROS CASE</strong></div><p>When asked if policemen implicated in the “missing sabungeros” case are also involved in the war on drugs, National Police Commission Vice Chairperson Rafael Calinisan answered, “Not to jump the gun, your honor– it appears so.”</p><p>Calinisan added, he spoke with a possible complainant, and they are waiting for this individual to file a complaint with the NAPOLCOM regarding this “hopefully sometime very soon.”</p><p>House Committee on Human Rights Chairperson Bienvenido Abante Jr. also spoke about reports of two policemen involved in a reward system, a key aspect of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.</p><p>Remulla earlier talked about there being links between people involved in enforced disappearances, specifically in the drug war and the e-sabong issue.</p><p>Whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan earlier named 18 policemen allegedly involved in the abduction of the aforementioned sabungeros.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/13/cidg-denies-police-withheld-affidavits-in-missing-sabungeros-case-1738">READ: CIDG denies police withheld affidavits in missing &#x27;sabungeros&#x27; case</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>LAWMAKER WANT WPP APPLICATION FOR PATIDONGAN SPED UP</strong></div><p>ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima called to speed up the evaluation process for Patidongan to enter the witness protection program (WPP)</p><p>Prior to this, Surigao del Sur 2nd Rep. Alexander Pimentel asked about the status of the application, later lamenting how long this was supposedly taking.</p><p>“I believe the formal application for the coverage of the witness protection program on our whistleblower is still in the process… The witness can only apply under the witness protection program once the case has been evaluated by our prosecutor. And we are still waiting for the official document about the conduct of the preliminary investigation,” DOJ Assistant Secretary Eliseo Cruz said.</p><p>“The witness can only apply under the witness protection program once the case has been evaluated by our prosecutor. And we are still waiting for the official document about the conduct of the preliminary investigation,” DOJ Assistant Secretary Eliseo Cruz added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LAWMAKER QUESTIONS AUTHORITIES ON LACK OF E-SABONG SITE-RELATED ARRESTS</strong></div><p>Quezon City 4th District Rep. Jesus Manuel “Bong” Suntay questioned if any arrests have even been made from detection of e-sabong websites following the ban.</p><p>Authorities should be doing more than blocking and taking down websites, according to Suntay.</p><p>“It’s one thing closing the sites. It’s another thing stopping the operation… Kung hindi hinuhuli ‘yung operator, talagang palipat-lipat lang ng sita ‘yan. So kailangan may arrest. That’s why ‘yun ‘yung pinaka-importante– are arrests being made? And I’m just curious, Mr. chair, Bakit walang data with regards being made because it’s the most important thing that we should have,” Suntay said.</p><p>The challenge in conducting arrests has been in identifying the individuals behind crimes due to use of anonymity tools, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) Director Rojun Hosillos explained.</p><p>Hosillos added that most e-sabong platforms are hosted outside the Philippines, and web hosting platforms do not always cooperate with the government.</p><div><br/></div><div><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/XRYbH0Uoc4k?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The complaints filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in relation to the “missing sabungeros” case already underwent evaluation and were certified sufficient for preliminary investigation, according to DOJ Asec. Eliseo Cruz.</p>

The complaints filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in relation to the “missing sabungeros” case already underwent evaluation and were certified sufficient for preliminary investigation, according to DOJ Asec. Eliseo Cruz.

DOJ: Evaluation done for complaints related to ‘missing sabungeros’ case

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DOJ: Evaluation done for complaints related to ‘missing sabungeros’ case

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 27, 2025 07:10 PM PHT

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Updated August 27, 2025 08:28 PM PHT

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