DOJ indicts Ang, 21 others in missing sabungero case

National

BUSINESSMAN Atong Ang and 21 others were indicted for their alleged involvement in the disappearance of cockfight enthusiasts.

A panel prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) found prima facie evidence strong enough to indict Ang on 10 counts of kidnapping with homicide and 16 counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention.

Twenty-one other individuals have been charged with kidnapping with homicide, while another group of respondents — including unidentified police officers — faces multiple counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention tied to the series of disappearances.

In a report by Philstar, the DOJ said its resolution was completed and released Monday, but withheld publicly distributing copies to allow respondents time to file motions for reconsideration, a standard procedure in sensitive criminal cases.

Justice department spokesman Polo Martinez said the 26 complaints would be filed before various Regional Trial Courts in Lipa City, Sta. Cruz in Laguna, and San Pablo City, depending on the jurisdiction of each incident.

The agency also announced that complaints against actress Gretchen Barretto and Metro Manila police chief Gen. Jonnel Estomo had been dismissed, though it left open the possibility of refiling if new evidence directly implicates them in unlawful detention.

In a formal statement, the DOJ said it hopes the courts will ensure accountability for those responsible, stressing the gravity of the alleged offenses and the lengthy probe that led to the charges.

Among the respondents facing kidnapping with homicide charges are several police personnel and civilians, including Lt. Col. Ryan Jay Orapa and other officers linked to alleged operations targeting individuals suspected of rigging e-sabong matches.

Those accused of kidnapping with serious illegal detention include a number of the same officers and several unidentified policemen said to be part of Orapa’s group, raising fears of deeper institutional involvement in the disappearances.

The case regained national attention earlier this year when whistleblower Julie Patidongan claimed on air that the victims’ remains had been dumped in Taal Lake, alleging that as many as 100 individuals were killed by police working for an online cockfighting operator.(Xienderlyn Trinidad, USJ-R Comm Intern)