Cops digging deep into 20 sabungeros’ disappearance

Police are looking at similarities observed in incidents where now 20 cockfight players, or “sabungeros,” have gone missing.

Gen. Dionardo Carlos, PNP chief, said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) observed the similarities and is now “connecting the dots.”

“These incidents do have a lot in common. We will find out if there is a syndicate behind these,” he said.

Carlos said the CIDG is first intensifying its probe into the disappearance of 10 men who were last seen in separate cockfighting arenas last January 13.

The first incident involved four male friends who were reported missing after attending a cockfight in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

Footage from the cockfight arena’s closed-circuit television cameras showed that the vehicle used by the four exited the coliseum, though it was not clear if they were on it.

On the same day, six men went missing as well after participating in a cockfighting tournament in Manila.

Carlos said the CIDG is also looking into an incident where 10 more men from Bulacan went missing after engaging in a cockfight.

Relatives claimed that it has been more than eight months now since the 10 disappeared, after going to the same cockfighting arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, the PNP said.