Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said the government is not giving up the search for the 34 missing “sabungeros” or cockfighting aficionados.
Remulla in a recent meeting with top law enforcement officials, including that of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and National Bureau of Investigation chief Jaime Santiago, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to solve the case.
“We intend to follow through on the sabungero cases. We do not intend to abandon anybody here,” Remulla said. “The fact that the families have not been following up with us lately is something that happens, but we are not abandoning our pursuit of justice.”
The case dates back to between April 2021 and January 2022, when the 34 cockfighting fans from different parts of Luzon vanished without a trace.
The disappearances had been linked to the underground online cockfighting industry, or “e-sabong,” which thrived during the Covid-19 pandemic after physical cockfighting arenas were closed.
The lucrative but risky nature of the industry has raised suspicions that disputes or illegal activities connected to e-sabong may have played a role in the disappearances.
Efforts to solve the cases have included investigations by the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.
Developments, such as the recent indictment of three police officers for robbery and kidnapping, were related to the disappearance of one of the victims, Ricardo Lasco, in Laguna.
Authorities have also been working with potential witnesses to strengthen their case, but as of now, there hasn’t been sufficient evidence to identify a mastermind behind the disappearances.