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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOJ seeks SC dialogue on cases of 'missing sabungeros'

DOJ seeks SC dialogue on cases of 'missing sabungeros'

Published Jun 26, 2025 03:11 pm
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he will seek a dialogue with Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo on the claim of a suspect in the case of the missing “sabungeros” that one of those responsible for the killings boasted of connections with the Supreme Court (SC).
Remulla was referring to suspect “Totoy,” now in custody and has decided to be a state witness, who alleged that one of the masterminds boasted that “kahit Supreme Court kaya niya (even the Supreme Court he can influence.)”
During the dialogue with Gesmundo, Remulla said “we will tell him what are the things hindering our way through kasi nga ang bigat talaga ng kalaban sa dami ng pera (because the difficulty in pursuing the perpetrators who have a lot of money).”
Remulla said that those behind the killings of “sabungeros” (cockfight enthusiasts) have so much money after enriching themselves through online cockfighting or e-sabong.
He had earlier said that government probers are now looking into the participation of about 20 individuals, many of them police officers and government officials.
Earlier, Remulla disclosed that based on the testimony of “Totoy,” not only 34 but about 100 “sabungeros” have been killed since 2021, and some of those killed were dumped into the Taal Lake in Batangas.
Also, Remulla said that “Totoy” disclosed that those behind the killings paid P500,000 for every “sabungero” killed.
Those killed “sabungeros” were reportedly cheaters in the cockfight games.
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