‘Sabungeros’ whistleblower indicted over 2019 frustrated murder case
The Rizal Provincial Prosecutor’s Office has affirmed its earlier finding that Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, the whistleblower who had tagged businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang in the kidnapping and disappearance of “sabungeros” (cockfighting enthusiasts), be prosecuted for frustrated murder.
Patidongan sought a reinvestigation of the case against him—a petition granted by the Morong, Rizal Regional Trial Court (RTC)—after the prosecutor’s office indicted him earlier this year.
The case stemmed from a shooting incident over six years ago that started with an argument about a pathway built by the victim. During an argument on Feb. 25, 2019, Patidongan allegedly drew a gun on the victim, who reported him to barangay officials.
On March 10, 2019, Patidongan allegedly shot and wounded the victim who was standing on a side street. The victim, however, survived.
Prima facie evidence
In an affirmation of the previous resolution, Associate Provincial Prosecutor Maria Victoria Lirio-Marmol stated that the information for frustrated murder filed against Patidongan before Branch 158 of the Morong, Rizal RTC “stands and stays.”
“After a careful evaluation of the evidence presented, the undersigned finds prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction against the respondent,” Lirio-Marmol said in a resolution dated Sept. 16 but made public only on Thursday.
The resolution was approved by Prosecutor II Brend Virgilio Vergara and Provincial Prosecutor Raymond Jonathan Lledo.
The prosecutor stated that a qualifying circumstance of evident premeditation and abuse of superior strength exists, as noted by the previous investigating prosecutor.
In the resolution, the prosecutor noted the previous altercation between the two parties and how Patidongan alighted from his vehicle quickly and suddenly before shooting the victim in March 2019. This, the prosecutor added, showed “evident premeditation.”
For his part, Patidongan denied the allegation, saying he had no motive to shoot the victim. He claimed it was a case of mistaken identity because the assailant’s name was listed as Joey Padungan, alias “Dondon.”
But the prosecutor said that his defense, being “evidentiary in nature, can be well scrutinized during trial.”
The prosecutor added that Patidongan also failed to submit evidence that he was in Lipa City, Batangas, on the day the victim was shot.
