Missing sabungeros mastermind unclear yet

There is no clear mastermind yet on the case of missing cockfight enthusiasts, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said yesterday.

Remulla told a radio interview that they will point to the mastermind when there is enough conclusive evidence.

He expressed belief that the families of the missing sabungeros have accepted the fate of their loved ones.

Earlier, the justice secretary said that "dead" may be a more precise term to describe the sabungeros who have been missing since 2021.

He said that what they are really looking for is justice and justice is that they have accepted that this is the case.

"They only want peace and to ensure that justice will be given to their missing loved ones," he said.

Remulla pointed out that he has to let the families know the consequences of every case filed since a "double jeopardy" may occur should the evidence be insufficient and the presumption is that the sabungeros are alive.

Under the rule of double jeopardy, when a person is charged with an offense and the case is terminated either by acquittal or conviction or in any other manner without the consent of the accused, the latter cannot again be charged with the same or identical offense.

He said for example, if they file information and the evidence is not strong enough and the presumption is that they are alive, if they are acquitted, there will have double jeopardy even if additional evidence was found after.

Thus they are careful in dealing with the topic and the presumption of death, he think, is necessary for them to be able to tackle the matter properly.

On the other hand, Remulla said there is no hope for the sabungeros to return home alive.

This is what the Justice Secretary said of the 34 cockfight enthusiasts who have been missing since 2021.

He said to continue calling the sabungeros as "missing" is a misnomer.

In all circumstances, they are gone. In the presumption of judgment, we really need to put that they are presumed dead," Remulla explained.

He said that due to the nature of the case, we don't have the body of the person that is missing, because the person is missing, thus the presumption of death should be very strong already, at this point.

Also, Remulla said the probability of the sabungeros' resurfacing is "not very high."

"It is a very sad thing but it's true as the probability of them not appearing is very high as they all disappeared under the same circumstances and all the cases are analogous to each other," he added.

The justice chief pointed out that the charges to be filed will depend "on our state of mind with regard to the condition of the sabungeros".

He said he is set to hold another dialogue with the families of the sabungeros on 11 January next year.

The police initially reported that the missing cockfighting enthusiasts disappeared after participating in a cockfight in Sta. Cruz on 13 January.

Sabungero Michael Bautista in early December was identified by his wife and his brother as the person in a video being handcuffed by two alleged policemen outside a cockfighting arena in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Last Monday, the DoJ said it would file charges against three members of the police for the kidnapping of an e-sabong agent at his home in San Pablo City in August 2021.