Cops linked to missing 'sabungeros' send feelers; PCSO chair denies case fixing

Several police officers allegedly involved in the disappearance of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungero) four years ago have now reached out to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Police Commission (Napolcom), indicating a possible intention to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

- By MARTIN SADONGDONG and MERLINA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

PNP chief General Nicolas Torre III and Napolcom Vice Chairman and Executive Officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan welcomed the development on Wednesday, July 9, saying some of the police officers tied to the case could turn state witnesses.

"We've been receiving some feelers. Honestly, we hope their approach materializes, and hopefully, it leads to them producing an affidavit that could also be key to our investigation," Calinisan said in an interview with reporters.

Torre, for his part, said: "If some of them will volunteer to turn state witnesses, then that will be a welcome development in the investigation." However, no formal testimony before the PNP and Napolcom has been made so far.

The PNP and Napolcom are also waiting for the sworn statement from the whistleblower, Julie "Dondon/ Totoy" Patidongan, who revealed that around 15 cops are linked to the case of the missing sabungeros.

"We haven't seen anything yet.

Sadly, while we more or less know the story through conversations, as for a formal document, I don't have a single page of an affidavit from alias Totoy)," Calinisan shared.

The Napolcom official hopes that the affidavit gets completed soon. He also hopes Totoy will finally come forward and file the complaint with Napolcom because this has taken far too long.

The cockfighters went missing between April 2021 to January 2022 in various cockfighting arenas and the victims' homes in Laguna, Batangas, Manila, and Bulacan.