By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – Two persons purportedly linked to the case of the missing “sabungeros” (cockfight afficionados) are now under the custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP), police officials said on Thursday.
In a press conference at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested suspects Elakim and Jose Patidongan in an undisclosed “Southeast Asian country” and brought them back to the Philippines on July 22.
The two are the brothers of Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, alias Totoy, the accused-turned-whistleblower in the sabungeros case.
“Naniniwala tayo na ito yung missing link sa kaso ng missing sabungeros (We believe they are the missing link in the case of the missing sabungeros),” Fajardo said.
She said Jose was convicted by the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 208 for robbery, while Elakim was caught using a different name – Robert Baylon – on his passport, upon arrival at the airport.
“It was a legal strategy on the part of the CIDG na sampahan na po ng kaso iyan, otherwise, masasampahan po sila ng kaso ng arbitrary detention (It was a legal strategy on the part of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to file a case against him. Otherwise, we could be charged with arbitrary detention),” Fajardo said, addressing criticisms that authorities were oppressing the suspects, who could potentially become state witnesses and support Julie Patidongan’s claims.
According to her, Elakim was allegedly caught using the ATM card of victim Melbert John Santos, who went missing in Sta. Cruz, Laguna on Jan. 13, 2022.
Jose, meanwhile, was seen in a video escorting another victim, Michael Bautista, who was handcuffed at the time, on April 28, 2021, also in Sta. Cruz town.
Fajardo said that former CIDG Director Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz was tipped off on June 23 that the two siblings were abroad.
The arrest operation was led by Macapaz, in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and under an approved case operational plan.
“Napakatahimik, walang ingay, hindi natin pinaputok sa media kasi nga gusto natin makuha itong dalawang ito dahil naniniwala tayo, ito ‘yong mga missing link doon sa mga kaso ng missing sabungero (It was very quiet, no noise, we didn’t release this to the media because we wanted to secure their arrest. We believe they are the missing link in the cases of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts),” Fajardo said.
The two, she said, did not seem to have used the proper channels to leave the country.
“There is also a possibility na gumamit sila ng exit route not necessarily sa proper channels, so we are now coordinating sa BI to check kung may mga travel records. Remember itong isa sa mga ito gumamit ng alias and again clearly there is clear violation ng existing laws natin. So lahat yan ma-consider (There is also a possibility that they used an exit route, not necessarily through the proper channels, so we are now coordinating with the BI to check if there are travel records. Remember, one of them used an alias in a clear violation of our laws. So, all of these will be considered),” she said.
Fajardo said both suspects have expressed willingness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation, noting that their testimonies could be critical in solving the case.
“The only way for them to become witnesses and be discharged as state witnesses is to file a case against them first,” she said.
Meanwhile, Fajardo said no DNA profiles were extracted from the bones recovered from the Taal Lake during the search on July 30.
“Wala na tayong na-extract accordingly na DNA profile (from the bones). Parang contaminated na. Ang challenge doon dahil matagal na ngang naka-submerge (Accordingly, we could no longer extract any DNA profiles from the bones. It was already contaminated. The challenge there was that it has been submerged for a long time),” she said.
At least 91 bone pieces were recovered from the five sacks retrieved from the lake earlier this July, the PNP Forensic Group previously said. (PNA)
