PNP to look into mobile phones seized from arrested suspects in case of missing 'sabungeros' -- DOJ
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is set to look into the contents of the mobile phones seized from six arrested persons who have been charged in court in the reported disappearance of cockfight enthusiasts or “sabungeros,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Friday, Sept. 22.
“Ang isang malaking bagay na nangyayari ngayon ay nakuha ‘yung mga telepono nila (It is a big development that their mobile phones were seized),” DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said during a press briefing.
Remulla said “may application ng cyber warrant sa mga telepono ng mga suspeks na nahuli sa case number one (There is an application for cyber warrants on the cellular phones of the suspects arrested in case number one).”
He explained “maaaring ito magbigay liwanag nga sa ibang mga bagay bagay, sa ibang mga pangyayari bukod sa case number one (it will shed light to many things aside from case number one).”
The case number one referred to is the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges pending before Manila Regional Trial (RTC) Branch 40 which issued arrest warrants against the six suspects who were caught last Sept. 15.
The six accused are Julie A. Patidongan, Gleer Codilla, Mark Carlo E. Zabala, Virgilio P. Bayog, Johnry R. Consolacion, and Roberto G. Matillano Jr.
“Nahuli sila sa Paranaque City at ngayon ay sila ay nasa kustodiya ng CIDG (They were arrested in Paranaque City and are currently in the custody of the Philippine National POlice-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group),” Remulla noted.
In the RTC case, the six suspects were accused of kidnapping six men in January 2022, namely, John Claude Inonog, James E. Baccay, Marlon E. Baccay, Rondel F. Cristorum, Mark Joseph L. Velasco, and Rowel G. Gomez.
The DOJ said the six missing persons left Tanay, Rizal on Jan. 13, 2022 and were en route to the Manila Arena.
The PNP had earlier said it had recorded 34 missing "sabungeros."