Before the disappearance of 10 men who went to separate cockpits in Manila and Laguna, five men who went to the cockpit in Batangas were reportedly unable to return to their families in Bulacan.
In a report by JP Soriano on GMA News “24 Oras Weekend” this Sunday, the relatives of the victim said that the night of January 6, 2022, when they picked up Edgar Malaca and Alexander Quijano, both from Calumpit, Bulacan, to go to Batangas on board of the white van.
Malaca allegedly told his brother that they were in a cockpit in Lipa, Batangas. The next day, the brother allegedly talked to Malaca in Batangas.
“Talo daw po ‘yung lahat ng nilaban nilang manok. Tapos sabi niya do’n sa kausap niya na kaibigan namin, magpapahinga lang daw siya at may laban pa daw sila kinabukasan,” he said.
It is said that the relatives have not been able to talk to the two since January 8 until they saw the van they were riding in that was abandoned in Calumpit on January 9.
According to the authorities, only the victims’ belongings were found in the van.
5 more men missing after going to cockpit in Batangas
“Ito talaga ‘yung kanilang hanap-buhay. Tapos, itong van na nire-rent, sila ‘yung regular na nagre-rent nito. Kaya nga nagtataka ‘yung may-ari ng van na nagpapa-rent bakit na abandon bigla,” said Calumpit Police Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Wendel Ariñas.
Relatives of the missing are begging those with information to help them find the victims.
“Kung sino man po ang naka-ano sa kapatid ko, parang awa niyo na po, pakawalan niyo na siya. Kung meron man nakakakita sa kanya, pakipag-bigay alam niyo lang sana sa’min,” Malaca’s sibling said.
Quijano’s wife insisted that her husband was a good person.
“Mabait po ‘yun, wala pong kasalanan. Nadamay lang po siguro kung may naging problema. Mabait po ‘yung mahal namin sa buhay na nawawala. Tulungan niyo po sana kami,” she said.
Police are still investigating the incident, and they are already in contact with police handling the case of the missing four men who went to a cockpit in Laguna on January 13. Six men also disappeared after going to a cockpit in Manila on January 14.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.