Whistleblower Julie Patidongan has tagged lawyer Caroline Cruz, the executive director of the Pitmaster Foundation, and Ako Bisaya party-list Rep. Sonny Lagon as being involved in the case of the missing “sabungeros” – the latest names to be dropped in Patidongan’s almost daily revelation since coming out in the media.
“Atty. Caroline Cruz is involved,” Patidongan said in an interview with Bilyonaryo News Channel.
Patidongan, who earlier named gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang as among the masterminds in the disappearance and murder of the “sabungeros,” said Cruz was the one who previously prepared his recantation in exchange for P300 million.
Cruz, for her part, denied the accusations.
“I deny any involvement. It’s another day, another teleserye,” she said in a text message to Bilyonaryo.
“Any tagging of names is not fair to me…I will just wait for his next scripts so I can intelligently answer his allegation,” she added.
Since publicly coming out in the media, Patidongan has named several personalities as being involved in the case of the disappeared “sabungeros.”
He identified Ang, Eric Dela Rosa and Engr. Celso Salazar as among the masterminds, and also mentioned actress Gretchen Barretto as part of the so-called “Alpha” Group.
Patidongan also named Lagon, former National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Lt. Gen. Jonnel Estomo and at least 12 cops as being involved.
Patidongan, however, apologized to Estomo on Tuesday, saying he only mentioned the police officer’s name based on what Ang told him before.
“First, I will ask for his apology because all the details were based on what Mr. Atong Ang told me,” the whistleblower said in an exclusive interview with dzRH.
“All the things I said came from Mr. Ang. He’s good at dragging people into the issue. Mr. Atong Ang himself said, ‘Be thankful (you’re alive) because Maj. Gen. Estomo told me to have you killed so this problem goes away.’ That came from Mr. Atong Ang himself,” Patidongan said.
Estomo denied any involvement in the case, adding he is ready to answer any allegations at the proper forum to clear his name.
Lagon, for his part, also denied any involvement in the disappearance of the “sabungeros.”
“I strongly and categorically deny the baseless and malicious allegations made by Dondon Patidongan implicating me in the so-called meeting of “Group A” involving Mr. Atong Ang and the issue on the missing sabungeros,” Lagon said in a statement.
“These claims are not only false, but also utterly absurd, misleading, and defamatory,” he added.
Lagon said: “There was absolutely no meeting, no vote, no discussion regarding any act of violence against any person. Any insinuation that I was part of such a conspiracy is a gross misrepresentation of who I am—as a public servant, as a breeder, and as a law-abiding citizen.”
He said he has been a legitimate and law-abiding game fowl breeder since 1998 before he was invited to participate in the Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc.
“My involvement in e-sabong has always been within the confines of the law and strictly limited to the legal, regulated aspects of the sport,” Lagon said.
As this developed, the Department of Justice is setting up a DNA bank to help track the bodies of the victims that may be recovered from Taal Lake.
The DOJ is looking at other sites in the vicinity of Taal Lake that may have been used to dispose of the bodies.
