Barely a month after receiving the first complaint of missing cockfighting players, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is yet to establish the people responsible for their disappearance.
On Saturday, CIDG director Police Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro confirmed that they received more complaints about the disappearance of sabungero (cockfighting players) with similar circumstances as that of the first case at the Manila Arena on Jan. 13.
To date, at least 20 cockfghting players were reported missing.
"The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group confirm that it has received complaints from the relatives of some of the missing cockfighting aficionados since January 14, 2022. The first reported incident was reported in the Manila Arena on January 13, 2022," said Ferro in a statement.
Six people were first to be reported missing after joining a cockfight tournament at the Manila Arena. They were reported to have been taken by armed men and the vehicle they were riding in was seen leaving the Manila Arena before it was discovered abandoned.
More cockfighting players were reported missing ever since, especially in Laguna and other areas.
Ferro said he had already ordered before the creation of a Special Investigation Task Group on Jan. 24 that was tasked to established to consolidate the efforts of all investigating units.
"The CIDG is working round the clock in the conduct of this investigation. It is collecting all the necessary information and evidence to determine the location of the missing persons and determine who is responsible for their disappearance," said Ferro.
Sources said one of the challenges that the CIDG investigators is facing is the non-cooperation of people who are supposed to shed light on the incident.
But Ferro vowed to pursue the investigation until all cases are resolved.