Lee: Video major breakthrough in CIDG probe

A SECRET cellphone video showing two men herding a handcuffed missing ‘sabungero’ outside a cockfighting arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna on April 28, 2021 has been seen as very vital in the ongoing probe into the case of the 34 cockfighting afficionados who have mysteriously disappeared, the Journal Group learned on Friday.

“This is a major breakthrough. Sobrang laki ng tulong ng video na ito sa ginagawa naming patuloy na imbestigasyon sa pagkawala ng mga sabungero,” said Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) director, Brigadier General Ronald O. Lee.

The official told the Journal Group that they will seek the help of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group in further enhancing the video in order to identify the two men who were seen ‘escorting’ Michael Bautista, one of the 34 ‘missing sabungeros.’

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 who is believed to be a policeman. The PNP-CIDG has been ordered by PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. to leave no stones unturned in the investigation of the case and ensure that the right suspects will be identified and charged in court.

Brig. Gen. Lee also ordered the CIDG Regional Field Unit 4-A headed by Lieutenant Colonel Joel Manuel A. Ana to take the formal statements of Bautista’s wife and brother as part of their ongoing investigation. The two sought an audience with the PNP-CIDG director after seeing the video.

During their meeting, the wife and brother of the 42-year old Bautista positively identified him as the handcuffed man in the video. “Mrs. Bautista recognized her husband thru his 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.

A concerned citizen furnished ABS-CBN with the video showing an individual, his hands handcuffed behind his back while being escorted by two unidentified men at the AA Cobra Farm located in Barangay Palasan in Sta. Cruz around 8 to 9 p.m. on April 28, 2021. Brig. Gen. Lee said that it appears that the source secretly took the video with a cellphone.

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.

His brother also positively identified him in the video. “Ang kapatid ko yung nakaposas. Alam ko din yung lugar na yun, sabungan yun sa gitna ng farm dahil nakarating na ako doon,” he said.

Bautista’s brother told the Journal Group that he went to the same place to accompany some cockfighting enthusiasts. He said that he earned P4,000 while looking after game fowls belonging to his group.

“Yung kapatid ko ang nasa video. Yung bag niya sa video, ako ang nagbigay nun,” the man said.

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

Mrs. Bautista said 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.

“Mahigit isang taon na po ang lumipas nung mawala ang tatay nila. Hindi na po sila nagtatanong sa akin kung nasaan ang ama nila pero nakikita ko po sa Facebook account ng mister ko na sinasabi nila, Papa bumalik ka na,” she said.

P1-M FOR ‘SILENCE’ OFFERED BY TV REPORTER

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 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 daw na pipirmahan. Para saan po yun ang tanong namin?,” the man said.

The two complainants added that it was the same TV reporter who created their group chat before. “Umalis na po siya sa GC namin. Marami po ang nag-question sa kanya bakit siya ang nagsasabing me P1 million na offer sa amin na tulong pero me waiver na pipirmahan,” Bautista’s brother added.

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

Brig. Gen. Lee earlier said they have launched an investigation to identify people who have reportedly offered money to some of the relatives of the missing ‘sabungeros’ in return for the dropping of the charges and stopping the search for their loved ones who were said to have been abducted for involvement in ‘game-fixing.’

Brig. Gen. Lee also reassured the family of the 34 missing persons that they are sparing no effort to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the victim.

“Through our constant communication with the families of the missing individuals, their full support for the investigation and our fight against the perpetrators will not be influenced by anything and anyone,” Lee said in a statement.

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.

“We are also prioritizing the identification of the man caught on CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera while withdrawing money from the ATM (automated teller machine) account of Melbert John Santos, one of the missing cockfighting aficionados in Sta. Cruz Laguna,” he added.

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.