Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

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/1758067220856cropped-Screen Shot 2025-09-17 at 7.59.03 AM (1).png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The families of the missing cockfight enthusiasts or sabungero on Friday, December 2, 2022 show their photographs during a meeting with Secretary Crispin Remulla. Secretary Remulla said they have agreed to meet regularly to inform the families on the ongoing investigation and search for their loved ones. ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p style="text-align:left">MANILA<strong> (UPDATED) </strong>— Two individuals were arrested in Taytay, Rizal for allegedly attempting to bribe a complainant in the missing sabungeros case, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/1/murder-raps-filed-vs-atong-ang-others-tagged-in-missing-sabungeros-case-1226"><strong>Murder raps filed vs Atong Ang, others tagged in &#x27;missing sabungeros&#x27; case: kin</strong></a></div><p>The complainant said the suspects offered a large sum of money in exchange for signing an affidavit of recantation and desistance to drop charges against key personalities and other respondents in the case.</p><p>Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, acting PNP chief, said a man and a woman were caught during the entrapment operation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) last Monday.</p><p>The two have since been identified as Alvin and Christina Bernabe. They had allegedly tried to bribeJaja Pilarte, wife of missing sabungero John Inonog.</p><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/1758091826536cropped-photo-collage.png.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Courtesy of PNP-CIDG</span></span></span></div><p>Nartatez has ordered Police Maj. Gen. Robert Morico II, CIDG director, to conduct an in-depth investigation to uncover the individuals who may have ordered the bribery attempt.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/4/possible-new-human-remains-found-in-taal-lake-1441"><strong>Possible new human remains found in Taal Lake</strong></a></div><p>“Naniniwala ako na may nag-utos sa dalawang naarestong ito at ito ang aalamin natin,” Nartatez said.</p><p>(I believe someone gave orders to the two who were arrested. We will find out who)</p><p>The suspects are now in CIDG custody and are facing charges for grave coercion and obstruction of justice.</p><p>Nartatez vowed to “unmask all those behind this attempt to bastardize our justice system” and assured the public that cases will be immediately filed against them.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>REMULLA: STATE ALREADY HAS AN INTEREST IN CASE<br/></strong></div><p>Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla meanwhile warned individuals against trying to muddle the preliminary investigation on the murder charges involving the missing sabungeros or cockfight enthusiasts.</p><p>“Kung gusto nilang kalikutin ang kaso, nagkakamali sila,” Remulla said.</p><p>(If they want to interfere in the case, they are wrong to think they can)</p><p>He said the state already has an interest in the case and that the process must continue.</p><p>“Hindi na ho ito pamilya na nag-aatras ng demanda kasi nagkamali sila hindi na po ito eh, alam na ng estado ang nangyari, may mga testigo na ang estado tungkol dito at meron na tayong kasong finile,” Remulla said.</p><p>(This is not like a case filed by the families and that can be withdrawn. The state knows what happened. The state already has its witnesses and a case has already been filed)</p><p>According to DOJ Assistant Secretary Eliseo Cruz, the Bernabe couple attempted to bribe Pilarta with P1.5 million cash upon the instructions of their father, Butch Inonog.</p><p>Pilarta is the common-law wife of John with whom she has two kids.</p><p>Cruz noted that Butch Inonog cooperated with authorities at the start of the investigations on the missing sabungeros case but has since stopped, allegedly because he had already been paid off.</p><p>Cruz said Pilarta affixed a fake signature on the recantation document during the entrapment operation organized by the CIDG.</p><p>In the recantation document, Pilarta was supposed to take back her accusation against the respondents, including Charlie Tiu Hay Ang, Gretchen Barretto and others.</p><p>Ang and Barretto had denied involvement in the missing sabungeros case.</p><p>The case of the missing sabungeros has drawn attention since 2021, when at least 30 individuals linked to e-sabong operations across Luzon disappeared without a trace.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/4/atong-ang-lawyer-on-murder-raps-masasagot-na-namin-yung-mga-akusasyon-0922"><strong>Atong Ang camp on murder raps: &#x27;Masasagot na namin yung mga akusasyon&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>Some law enforcement and gaming personnel have since been implicated, while families of the victims continue to plead for justice.</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had earlier directed the PNP to exhaust all efforts to resolve the case, calling it a crucial test of the government’s commitment to uphold justice.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></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/NJM6hVeODoM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/Pt2LmHtOXiw?&amp;list=PLgyY1WylJUmjFcC9qJ3Ey7m0qMixstA1n&amp;index=27&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The suspects allegedly offered a large sum of money in exchange for dropping the charges against key personalities and other respondents in the case.</p>

The suspects allegedly offered a large sum of money in exchange for dropping the charges against key personalities and other respondents in the case.

2 arrested for bribing 'missing sabungeros' kin to drop charges

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2 arrested for bribing 'missing sabungeros' kin to drop charges

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 17, 2025 08:02 AM PHT

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Updated September 17, 2025 03:59 PM PHT

Read More:

PNP

missing sabungeros

bribe

bribery

politics

crime

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