Six people will face charges for kidnapping and serious illegal detention due to their alleged abduction of some missing sabungeros, the Department of Justice shared Friday.
This case is related to the disappearance of six people who left Tanay, Rizal, in January 2022 for the Manila Arena to participate in a 6-cock stag derby.
“After a careful perusal of the case records, the panel of prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) found probable cause to indict Julie A. Patidongan, Gleer Codilla, Mark Carlo E. Zabala, Virgilio P. Bayog, Johnry R. Consolacion, and Roberto G. Matillano Jr. for six (6) counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code,” said DOJ.
The panel found during the preliminary investigation that Patidongan, Codilla, Zabala, Bayog, Consolacion and Matillano allegedly conspired to kidnap:
- John Claude Inonog
- James E. Baccay
- Marlon E. Baccay
- Rondel F. Cristorum
- Mark Joseph L. Velasco
- Rowel G. Gomez
“The victims, unfortunately, were forced to board a gray van at around 7:30 p.m. and were never to be seen again,” added DOJ.
6 to face charges for kidnapping, illegal detention of Tanay sabungeros
The accused vehemently denied the accusations against them, especially since they did not specifically say that they participated in the disappearance of the victims. They also argued that the witnesses had no “personal knowledge” of the crime, except that some respondents were not there when the alleged kidnapping happened.
But for the panel, this defense is said to be lacking in the midst of positive identification and “credible” testimony of several witnesses.
“In particular, complainant Venancio Inonog, the father of the victim Inonog, testified that he was able to talk via phone call with his son who informed him that they were forced to board a gray van against their will,” the department added.
“His son was able to identify respondents Bayog, Consolacion and Matillano.”
Inonog also said he heard screams before the line was cut. He said he called his son repeatedly after that, but the cell phone was dead.
Witness Denmark Sinfuego also testified that he personally saw the arrest of the accused Cristorum, Gomez, and Velasco. Because of this, the prosecution established probable cause against the suspects.
Such information against six people is scheduled to be filed in the Manila Regional Trial Court.
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