‘Sabungeros’ kin: Atong being tagged no surprise
More than a dozen family members of the missing “sabungeros” (cockfighting aficionados) on Friday said they were not surprised by allegations that gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang and his former partner, Gretchen Barretto, were involved in their kins’ disappearance.
Ang, who operated a lucrative “electronic sabong” (e-sabong) game, and Barretto have denied any involvement in the disappearance of dozens of sabungeros over three years ago.
The relatives of some of the missing met with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday to get an update on the case and spoke with reporters.
They said they earlier heard that Ang and Barretto were allegedly involved in the disappearance of the sabungeros, but did not specify what roles they played.
Renewed hope
“We had been hearing about things like that even before my son was kidnapped. We’d already heard that such things were happening,” said Carmen Malaca, mother of Edgar Malaca, who was never heard from since he disappeared in January 2022.
“But I never thought that what they were saying was actually true,” she added.
She said she was thankful that after several years, they now had hope in finding out about what really happened to their missing kins.
“My only appeal is for the continued progress in shedding light on our case—especially in the recovery of their bodies and bones from Taal Lake,” she said.
Janice Esplana said her orphaned nephew, Myson Ramos, disappeared with the others when he was only 14 years old. She did not say what kind of ties the boy had with the missing sabungeros.
She said she wanted to join the search for the remains of the sabungeros whose bodies were supposedly weighed down with sandbags so that they would remain on the Taal Lake floor.
She and Malaca were referring to allegations by Julie “Dondon” Patidongan who said in an interview with GMA News last Wednesday that Ang, his former boss, allegedly ordered their elimination.
Mylin Fernandine, whose son, Mark Paul Fernandine, disappeared three years ago, said recent developments in the case reignited her hope for justice.
“I was losing hope and thought there was no chance left in finding them. That’s why I’m so grateful that someone with a conscience finally spoke the truth,” she said.
She admitted that she had resigned to the fact that her son was gone and only hoped that she’ll be able to bury him properly once his body is found.
High on DOJ priorities
Remulla vowed that the DOJ would continue its investigation. “We will not stop. Justice is absolute,” he said.
“Our very soul as Filipinos is at stake here. We must not allow money to become the only master of the Filipino people,” Remulla said.
He said that the DOJ was giving high priority to the case and “no stone will be left unturned” in efforts to find out what really happened to the lost sabungeros.
He told reporters that 15 police officers who were allegedly involved in carrying out the “executions” of the missing sabungeros had been placed under “restricted duty” by the Philippine National Police “so that they cannot do harm.” He did not give other details.
Remulla said that Patidongan was under the protection of the PNP.
Patidongan is one of six men charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the case.
Ang has filed a criminal complaint for slander and grave threats and coercion, among other charges, against Patidongan and another former aide, Alan “Brown” Bantiles, for implicating him in the disappearance of the sabungeros, who were suspected of cheating.
He denied all the allegations, saying they were “entirely false” and baseless.
‘Irreparable harm’
He said that Brown tried to pressure him to “appease” Patidongan with P300 million for his past services, additional funding to cover his ongoing legal battles, and seed money to support his campaign for mayor of Barobo, Surigao del Sur. He said he refused.
He decried the “trial by publicity” which had caused him “irreparable harm.”
Ang had been linked to the disappearance of the sabungeros in 2022.
He told the senators during an inquiry into the case that his e-sabong company, Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc., was being condemned for the disappearance of the cockfighting aficionados, which he said he had nothing to do with. Lucky 8 operates through the Pitmaster brand.
President Marcos issued an executive order in December 2022 to keep e-sabong operations suspended nationwide. The order formalized the ban imposed by ex-President Rodrigo Duterte in May that year which was triggered by the reported disappearance of the sabungeros and concerns over social issues related to cockfighting.
Barretto breaks silence
In a statement made through her lawyer Alma Mallonga on Friday, Barretto denied any involvement in the case and that she was only an investor in Ang’s Pitmaster Group.
She said the allegations made by Patidongan against her were “standing on plain water,” particularly the accusation that since she was an “alpha member” of Pitmaster, she was aware of everything that happened, including the abduction of the missing sabungeros.
“Ms. Barretto has only heard about, hence has no relevant knowledge concerning, the disappearances. She did not operate the sabungan, had no participation in e-sabong operations that was suspended more than two years ago, and was merely an investor in the business (one of about 20 investors categorized as alpha members),” the statement read.
‘Plain invention’
“She attended no meetings where approvals were sought nor given to implement the disappearances. The proposition is so absurd, it is plain invention,” it further stated.
Barretto claimed that she was a victim of an attempt to extort money from her, in exchange for excluding her name from the list of suspects.
But she stated that she refused “because she had done nothing wrong.”
She said that she would fully cooperate in the investigation. “This is her priority,” the statement read.
She appealed to the authorities to be “fair and thorough” and “not rush to judgment.”
