The sabungero ‘mystery’: A grinding test for Phl justice system

Years after dozens of cockfighting enthusiasts vanished, the sabungeros case remains one of the most unsettling reminders of how justice can stall, even when evidence, witnesses, and public attention are present.

The disappearances began quietly in 2021, spanning multiple provinces and following a chillingly similar pattern. Families recounted that the men left their homes — or were last seen in public places — and never returned.

Video footage that emerged later suggested abduction, reinforcing fears that the victims were forcibly taken and deliberately erased.

Within nine months, from April 2021 to January 2022, 34 sabungeros were reported missing. In one town alone, three men — Edgar Malaca, Alexander Quijano, and Atong Sacdalan — disappeared just a day after another reported incident. Like the others, they had told their families they were headed to Lipa for cockfighting events, underscoring the organized nature of the vanishings.

The case gained renewed momentum when a witness, Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, also known as “Totoy,” came forward. His testimony led to criminal complaints, the indictment of several police officers, and the designation of certain individuals as state witnesses.

Allegations from the whistleblowers have previously attempted to link prominent figures to the case, highlighting the scale of the investigation.

The Department of Justice has since confirmed that cases of kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping with serious illegal detention have been filed against several suspects, including prominent businessman Atong Ang. Yet despite these legal milestones, no convictions have been secured, and the central question — what happened to the missing men — remains unanswered.

For the families, time has only deepened the pain. Each year without resolution compounds the sense that powerful interests can outlast public outrage.

The sabungeros case, once shocking for its brutality, now unsettles for another reason: it has become a test of whether the justice system can move beyond allegations and toward true accountability.