I’M referring to a cell phone video furnished to the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group which, according to my friend, CIDG director, Brigadier General Ronald Lee is a ‘smoking gun’ in their continuing probe into the case of the 34 ‘missing sabungeros.’

It was actually a clear piece of evidence, something that serves as a conclusive proof that one of the 34 missing persons was still alive but already in handcuffs when herded out of a cockpit arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna on April 28, 2021. For Brig. Gen. Lee, it could be Divine Providence.

The cellphone video showed two men herding a handcuffed Michael Bautista outside the AA Cobra Farm located in Barangay Palasan in Sta. Cruz town around 8 to 9 p.m. last April 28. One of the two men is believed to be a member of the police force who has been previously questioned in connection with the same case, I was told.

For everybody’s information, a concerned citizen first furnished ABS-CBN with the video believed to have been secretly taken on the time Bautista –his hands handcuffed behind his back–was being herded outside the establishment.

The wife and brother of Bautista then went to the CIDG headquarters in Camp Crame to confer with Brig. Gen. Lee regarding the video. During their meeting, the two positively identified the handcuffed man in the video as the missing 42-year old Bautista.

“This is a major breakthrough. Sobrang laki ng tulong ng video na ito sa ginagawa naming patuloy na imbestigasyon sa pagkawala ng mga sabungero,” Brig. Gen. Lee said. The official said that they have sought the help of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group headed by Brig. Gen. Joel Doria in further enhancing the video in order to identify the two men who were seen ‘escorting’ Bautista.

Although they already have clues on the identity of one of the two men, the official said they need to enhance the video to clearly establish the identity of the suspect. Brig. Gen. Lee also ordered the CIDG Regional Field Unit 4-A headed by Lieutenant Colonel Joel Ana to take the formal statements of Bautista’s wife and brother as part of their ongoing investigation.

During their meeting, the wife and brother of Bautista positively identified him as the handcuffed man in the video. Mrs. Bautista recognized her husband thru her haircut, his shoulder bag, his t-shirt and short pants, his body built and other physical description when showed the video.

Brig. Gen. Lee said that Bautista was among the four men who mysteriously disappeared at the farm also known as the United Association of Cockpit Owners and Operators of the Philippines, Inc. When he disappeared, the missing man told his wife that he will just drive for his friends on their way to the cockfighting arena.

Bautista’s brother also positively identified him in the video. “Ang kapatid ko yung nakaposas. Yung bag niya sa video, ako ang nagbigay nun. Alam ko din yung lugar na yun, sabungan yun sa gitna ng farm dahil nakarating na ako doon,” he said. The man said he went to the same place to accompany some cockfighting enthusiasts and earned P4,000 while looking after game fowls belonging to his group.

Brig. Gen. Lee said that the video and the statements of Bautista’s wife and brother have also strengthened reports and other claims that the latter and his peers were at the Sta. Cruz cockpit arena before they disappeared.

Mrs. Bautista said that her husband failed to make any more contact with her on the night of April 28, 2021. The couple have five children, the eldest of them 24-years old and the youngest only 10.

During their visit to the PNP-CIDG headquarters, Bautista’s wife and brother told Brig. Gen. Lee that a ‘television reporter’ offered them P1 million in exchange for signing a waiver at the height of the Senate investigation into their complaints.

“Ang sabi niya, galing daw po ang pera sa mga grupo ng sabungero, pati po ang maliliit na grupo na naapektuhan ng ban sa online sabong pero ang tanong po namin, bakit me waiver na papipirmahan sa amin,” Mrs. Bautista said.

Bautista’s brother said that the ‘television reporter’ also made the same offer to relatives of the rest of the missing persons but was turned down by the majority. “Sa cellphone lang po kami naguusap dati. P1 million ang alok niya pero me waiver po dawn a pipirmahan. Para saan po yun ang tanong namin,” the man said.

The two said they are ready to identify the reporter once asked by authorities.

Brig. Gen. Lee said that they are one with PNP chief, General Jun Azurin in reassuring the families of the 34 missing persons that they are sparing no effort to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the victim.

The official said they are also awaiting the resolution of the two cases filed before the Department of Justice – the Manila Arena case against eight identified persons and several John Does and the Ricardo Lasco abduction case against five police personnel and other John Does.

The official also encouraged possible witnesses and those with similar videos to come forward and reveal what they know for the immediate resolution of this case. In the interest of justice, please heed the PNP-CIDG director’s appeal.

PNP OFFICIALS WELCOME NEW ES, NAPOLCOM, PRESIDENTIAL POLICE ADVISERS

MANY senior PNP officials have approached me to convey their admiration and full support to the new of Marcos administration officials who are supporting them in their continuing effort to win the fight against drugs, criminality, terror and corruption.

First on their list is Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, a retired Chief Justice who was sworn in by PBBM as the new ES last September 27. They say that ES Bersamin is really the right man for the job. In the first place, how can anybody argue with a former Chief Magistrate when it comes to questions of law.

Then there is DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and other officials of the National Police Commission led by Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Alberto Bernardo.

PNP officials led by Gen. Azurin have vouched for the competence, integrity and professionalism of Sec. Abalos and Vice Chairman Bernardo who are both seasoned lawyers.

Officials said that they are highly-optimistic that the two will help steer the PNP to greater heights as they supervise the police force specifically in its internal cleansing program and effort to put the right man on the right job , albeit matters pertaining to PNP placement and promotion.

And last but not the least, officials have mentioned to me the names of retired Police Generals Roman ‘Popong’ Felix and Isagani Nerez Jr. Both my long-time friends who became known for their integrity and professionalism in the PNP, Felix of PMA ‘Matikas’ Class of 1983 was named by PBBM as Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Police and Military Affairs or OPAMA.

Felix is a known helicopter pilot who used to head the Police Regional Office 1 in Ilocos-Pangasinan region and the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office. On the other hand, Nerez, a lawyer from PMA ‘Maharlika’ Class of 1984 is the OPAMA Undersecretary for Police Affairs.

Nerez was once a Cordillera Police Regional Office director and used to be a nemesis of kidnappers when he was still the head of the now defunct Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response or PACER and later, the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group.

The PNP is really in good hands with the presence of these officials.