By Benjamin Pulta | Philippine News Agency
The families of the missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) on Monday filed a partial motion for reconsideration, asking prosecutors to include individuals who had not been among those charged for the disappearance of the relatives.
In their plea, the complainants asked prosecutors to charge individuals “for a special complex crime of kidnapping with homicide and serious illegal detention.”
The individuals include actress Gretchen Barretto, Eric Dela Rosa, engineer Celso Salazar, Mayor Arjay Mea, William Ang, Lornalee Vingson, Richard Perez, Arman Santos, Jojo Cruz, and John Capinpin.
The relatives of the victims claimed that the Pitmaster Alpha Group of Angelito Guerra, Tady Pala, Joey delos Santos, and Capinpin agreed to kill the victims during their detentions for cheating, directly linking their conspiracy to the kidnapping that resulted in homicide.
They also said police and security facilitators, retired police officials Jonnel Estomo, Col. Jacinto Malinao Jr., and Hanz Florez, enabled the operations through advice to kill, protection with rewards, overall security, and presence in abductions where victims were killed in detention.
The families also seek to indict the group that actually subdued the victims. They are Ronquillo Anding, Roberto Matillano, Virgilio Bayog, Johnry Consolacion, Victorino Jocosol, and Herolden Alonto.
The group also named civilian accessories and supporters who reportedly accompanied cockfighting leaders frequently. They are Edwin Tose, Allan Siaco, and Kate Villalon.
The victims’ relatives said whistleblower Dondon Patidongan’s statement “establishes prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction that the respondents conspired to commit the special complex crime of kidnapping with homicide grouped by their roles.”
Last month, the Department of Justice (DOJ) ordered the filing of multiple charges against 22 individuals, including billionaire Charlie “Atong” Ang, in connection with the missing sabungeros. (PNA)
