Despite family withdrawals, prosecution presses ahead in missing sabungeros case

National

WITH only five of 30 families still pursuing the case, questions have emerged over whether the withdrawal of relatives of missing “sabungeros” could weaken the prosecution—but the government’s chief prosecutor says it will not.

Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said the reported withdrawal and waning cooperation of some families in three cases involving kidnapping with homicide and serious illegal detention would affect only the civil aspect, including claims for damages arising from the emotional toll allegedly caused by the crimes.

“Now, if we’re talking about who would we present in the case because [some witnesses] are no longer [participating] … I would stress the fact that their testimonies are only with respect to the civil case, [which concerns] the damages. Can the case proceed? Yes, because we have the criminal aspect,” Fadullon said in an Inquirer report.

He explained that a witness’ withdrawal or recantation would matter to the criminal case only if the witness had personal knowledge of the alleged crime. Information based solely on police investigation reports, he said, would not constitute such knowledge. He added that the prosecution does not depend on the victims’ families, who generally were not present when their relatives disappeared.

The prosecution is instead focused on establishing the criminal liability of the accused and meeting the level of evidence required by the court, Fadullon said. DOJ prosecutors recently presented evidence before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to oppose the respondents’ petitions for bail.

Gaming tycoon Atong Ang, along with police officers and several civilians, faces multiple charges of kidnapping with homicide and serious illegal detention over the disappearance of sabungeros between 2021 and 2022.

The Supreme Court transferred the cases to three Quezon City courts in February, citing security concerns and the sensitive nature of the proceedings. Ang remains at large despite a P20-million bounty offered for his arrest.

The families’ withdrawal followed allegations that some relatives were being offered money to stop participating in the cases. In May, five families filed an obstruction of justice complaint against Caroline Cruz, a lawyer for Ang, over alleged offers of up to P40,000 a month.

Charlene Lasco, sister of a missing e-sabong master agent, said the allegations caused a rift among the families, with some withdrawing from the case. She said the families knew of allowances being given to some relatives.

“Any other perks they receive, we are not sure. But as of now, what we know is they are getting an allowance,” Lasco said in an interview on May 29, as quoted in the same article.

Cruz denied the allegations but acknowledged meeting families and giving them cash for humanitarian reasons.

At least 34 sabungeros were reported missing between April 2021 and January 2022. Whistleblower Julie “Totoy” Patidongan later alleged that the victims were abducted, killed and dumped in Taal Lake. Ang has denied the accusations.

A government-led search recovered about 2,000 bones from the lake, 1,400 of which were confirmed as human remains.(MyTVCebu)