A panel of prosecutors is set to dismiss for lack of evidence one of the complaints under investigation on missing “sabungeros” or cockfight enthusiasts, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said on Monday, May 8.
But Remulla assured that the complaint can be refiled before the DOJ should more evidence surface. He did not disclose the name or names of those named in the complaint.
“We have to dismiss it without prejudice because that’s the best way to do it,” he said in an interview with journalists.
“Technically we have to do it but we are not running away from it because we still consider these cases open and we are waiting for them to be refiled at a proper time,” he added.
He reiterated that the dismissal will be done “without prejudice” from the refiling of a complaint before the DOJ.
“Hindi enough ang hawak na evidence para ating ma-charge ang isang tao at ‘yung panahon ay kulang-kulang na (We don’t have enough evidence to charge any person and we don’t have enough time to rule on these complaints),” he said.
“May time kasi kami to ripen a case and to dismiss if not yet conclusive (we have a time to ripen cases and dismiss it if not yet conclusive),” he also said
The Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded a total of 34 “sabungeros” who went missing since 2021.
Among those already charged in courts in the cases of missing “sabungeros” were former policemen Daryl G. Paghangaan, Roy M. Navarete and Rigel S. Brosas, and Julie A. Patidongan, Gleer Codilla, Mark Carlo E. Zabala, Virgilio P. Bayog, Johnry R. Consolacion, and Roberto G. Matillano Jr.