DOJ: Missing sabungeros cases to continue despite families’ absence

The Department of Justice said Wednesday that criminal cases involving the missing sabungeros will continue even if some victims’ families are no longer responding to prosecutors or participating in the proceedings.

Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said the cases have already been filed and are being heard in court, with prosecutors presenting evidence to establish the criminal liability of the accused.

Fadullon said several cases originally filed in Santa Cruz, San Pablo and Lipa were transferred to courts in Quezon City upon request.

“Since then, the cases have prospered,” Fadullon said, noting that charges include kidnapping and kidnapping with serious illegal detention.

Prosecutors are also opposing bail petitions filed by some of the accused.

Fadullon said prosecutors initially maintained contact with the families of the missing sabungeros, who had sought the DOJ’s assistance, but some later stopped communicating.

Of the families presented in court, only one, identified as Mrs. Lasco, remained available after three relatives had already testified, he said.

Fadullon stressed that the families’ participation is more relevant to the civil aspect of the cases, particularly claims for damages arising from the disappearance of their relatives.

The criminal aspect, he said, concerns whether the accused should be held criminally liable and face imprisonment or other penalties.

He said the absence or withdrawal of family members would not automatically prevent the courts from deciding the criminal cases.

Their participation would become more significant if a relative had direct personal knowledge of the disappearance, such as witnessing the incident or identifying those who took the victims, he said.

If their knowledge came only from police reports or other investigative findings, their withdrawal would not necessarily weaken the prosecution’s criminal evidence.

Fadullon rejected the notion that the cases would automatically collapse because complainants were no longer participating.

“The public prosecution does not have to have a complainant to stand on its own,” he said.

He added that criminal cases involve offenses against the state and public order and therefore do not depend solely on the continued participation of victims’ relatives.

Fadullon also clarified that a separate complaint involving alleged obstruction of justice by individuals linked to the legal team of businessman Atong Ang had no bearing on the existing criminal cases involving the missing sabungeros.

That complaint remains pending resolution, he said.

Fadullon added that possible retractions by some complainants could affect the obstruction complaint if their earlier statements formed the basis of the case.

On reports that some families may have been offered settlements, Fadullon said he did not want to speculate on why some relatives had stopped participating.

He acknowledged that some families may feel that financial settlements would help them move forward.

“But there is no price for the life of any individual. No amount can pay for that,” he said.

Fadullon said the DOJ would continue presenting all available evidence and leave it to the courts to determine whether it is sufficient to convict the accused.

“We will make sure that lahat ng evidence na mayroon kami ay maipakita sa harap ng korte, at hayaan natin ang korte na pag-aralan at gumawa ng desisyon,” he said.

On efforts to arrest a still-at-large accused, Fadullon said the matter is now primarily a law enforcement operation.

He said the DOJ continues to coordinate with the Philippine National Police and other agencies in efforts to locate and arrest the suspect.