The Department of Justice has formed tracker teams to look for suspects behind the disappearance of several cockfighting enthusiasts or “sabungeros.”
This as families of the missing sabungeros met with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla at the DOJ on Thursday to get updates on the case.
Several individuals have been charged over the disappearance of more than 30 sabungeros.
In December last year, three policemen caught on CCTV disguised as NBI agents who “arrested” online sabong master agent Ricardo Lasco at his house in San Pablo, Laguna on August 30, 2021 were charged with robbery and kidnapping.
Six more persons were charged with kidnapping and illegal serious detention over the disappearance of six men who were last seen at the Manila Arena, ABS-CBN News reported.
But relatives of the missing sabungeros have complained the trials in these cases have yet to start. Remulla explained this was because the DOH had yet to gain “jurisdiction over the persons of the accused,” who have not surrendered or have been arrested, hence the tracker teams.
Remulla said that while there are suspicions as to who is behind the alleged abductions, no concrete evidence has been presented so far.
Amid claims that bodies of the missing sabungeros have allegedly been burned, the Justice chief acknowledged hearing about this for some time already.
The Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group previously said a total of 34 sabungeros have been missing since 2021.
