EDITORIAL - Looking the other way

Details being provided by a suspect who might be accepted as a state witness confirm the long-standing public suspicion about the disappearance of 34 sabungeros, and why it could not be solved: cops and big money are allegedly involved.

Whistle-blower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, also known as Totoy, has joined relatives of the missing victims who filed criminal cases against 12 members of the Philippine National Police in connection with the kidnapping and execution of the cockfight aficionados. The PNP said the 12 are under restrictive custody.

Yesterday, Patidongan publicly identified the alleged perpetrators as police Col. Jacinto Malinao Jr., Lt. Col. Ryan Jay Orapa, Maj. Mark Philip Almedilla, Executive Master Sgt. Aaron Ezrah Cabillan, Chief M/Sgt. Arturo dela Cruz Jr., Staff/Sgt. Alfredo Andres, Cpl. Angel Joseph Martin and Staff M/Sergeants Joey Encarnacion, Mark Anthony Manrique and Anderson Abale.

The highest ranking officer implicated by Patidongan is Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, who retired last year from the PNP. Estomo had served as director of the National Capital Region Police Office before being promoted to the third highest post in the PNP, as deputy chief for operations.

Patidongan claimed Estomo was a member of the core or Alpha group of the gang responsible for the disappearance of the sabungeros. Each Alpha member, Patidongan claimed, received P70 million a month.

Estomo headed the NCRPO from Aug. 8, 2022 to Feb. 23, 2023. Two months after he assumed the post, the National Bureau of Investigation filed charges against 11 members of the NCRPO in connection with the disappearance in 2021 of four sabungeros in their custody who went missing.

The 11 were led by Lt. Col. Ryan Orapa, who headed the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit. This has led to speculation that those behind the sabungeros’ case were also involved in the bloody crackdown on illegal drugs during the Duterte administration.

Estomo said at the time that the 11 had been sacked and placed under restrictive custody of the PNP Regional Headquarters Support Unit. And yet the PNP probe seemed to keep hitting a wall, with police suspected to be looking the other way. If Patidongan had not decided to talk, the probe would still be stuck in limbo.

Considering the involvement of police officers and the enormous amounts of money at stake, the Department of Justice may consider stepping into the case, to promote an impartial and thorough probe, with no sacred cows being spared.