The Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified at least eight suspects in the disappearance of 31 e-sabong or online cockfight aficionados, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said on Wednesday.
“Nais naming ibalita, Mr. President, at least eight suspects na ang ating na-identify. Sa oras na makuha na natin ang sapat na ebidensiya ay hihingin na natin ang tulong ng korte,” Año told President Duterte during the latter’s Talk to the People.
“At sa bisa ng mga warrant, agad nating hahanapin ang mga suspects na ito upang mabigyang linaw na ang mga insidente at mapatawan ng hustisya ang mga taong responsable dito.”
The PNP is working with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), local courts and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to solve those cases.
“Makakaasa po kayo, Mr. President, at ang ating mga kababayan, na hindi titigil ang Kawanihan ng PNP, kasama ang iba pang ahensiya hangga’t hindi nauungkat ang katotohanan sa likod ng mga insidenteng ito,” said the interior secretary.
Investigators have observed similarities in the disappearance of the sabungeros, Año said, citing police report.
According to the authorities, the last location of the missing persons was within the premises of cockpit arenas and most of the vehicles they used were found abandoned near their area of residence.
All the cockpit arenas involved are under the same administrator and operator, and there is no CCTV installed in those facilities, the investigators have found. Also, most of persons of interest are either security or management personnel of the cockpit arenas.
Meanwhile, the interior chief also reported the continuing government’s anti-illegal drug operations.
Año said that on top 1.6 tons of shabu confiscated by the NBI in Quezon province amounting P10 billion, a March 8 operation in Karuhatan, Valenzuela City, by the PDEA, PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines netted 160 kilos of shabu worth P1 billion.
For the entire week, authorities conducted 950 anti-illegal drug operations resulting in the arrest of 1,304 individuals including a Chinese national and his Filipino wife.
“Sa kabuuan po ay mayroon tayong nasamsam na P1,173,219,000 at ito po ay nakapagsagawa din po ng operation na kung saan dalawa ang nasawi at 28 ang nag-surrender,” he said. PND
