The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on Friday filed additional charges against two individuals who were linked to the still missing cockfighters or sabungeros since last year.

The CIDG said that it filed charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention against the suspects identified as Julie Patidongan alias "Dondon" — who is believed to be a staff of a farm in Barangay Palasan in Sta. Cruz, Laguna — and a certain John Doe.

It filed the charges before the National Prosecution Service of the Department of Justice based on the complaint of the kin of victim Michael Bautista, who has been missing since 28 April 2021.

Patidongan and the other unidentified suspect were tagged as the persons seen on a video footage obtained by CIDG as the same persons who were holding the handcuffed Bautista outside the farm.

"The handcuffed man was positively identified by his wife and brother as Michael Bautista, he is one of the 34 missing cockfighting aficionados as they recognized him from his haircut, body built, up to his personal belongings," Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia said.

A report disclosed that Bautista is among 34 missing sabungeros who are the subject of a massive search and investigation that earlier led to the filing of kidnapping charges last 18 March 2022 against eight persons.

Meantime, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said that they still have no credible lead or strong evidence that would pinpoint the whereabouts of the 34 missing sabungeros.

Fajardo also said that police were now looking into the possibility that there is only one group behind the disappearances of the 34 sabungeros.

In other developments, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla yesterday met with the families of 16 missing sabungeros and all agreed to meet every month starting in January 2023.

Remulla told the families that no masterminds have been identified yet, but "there seems to be a group behind it."

"My role here is to coordinate everything. We're trying to put everybody together so there would be clear dialogue," Remulla said.

The families were assured by Remulla that the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation have expressed willingness to coordinate with the DoJ in the conduct of the investigation.

"We're talking about eight clustered cases and four of them have been filed," said Remulla, adding that four cases are still pending before the DoJ.

With Alvin Murcia