The Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors has dismissed the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges against two individuals who were last seen with a missing sabungero or cockfight aficionado.
In a press conference on Friday, the DOJ said that prosecutors determined that "complainants failed to present proof to establish that there exists probable cause against the respondents."
Kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges were earlier filed against two men, who were earlier caught with a missing sabungero on cellphone footage.
In the said footage, the handcuffed guy, identified by his wife and brother-to-be as Michael Bautista, was flanked by two other men wearing black shirts and caps.
Bautista's wife believed the cellphone footage would be enough evidence to convict the two men — one of whom was identified as Julie Patidongan, or alias Dondon, the purported manager of the AA-Cobra Farm in Brgy. Palasan in Santa Cruz, Laguna, the cockfighting arena where Bautista was last seen.
However, the DOJ panel concluded that the evidence given was insufficient.
Patidongan was previously recognized by two individuals. Last year, a witness informed ABS-CBN News that he knew Patidongan, alias Dondon, because he conducted business with him.
While Michael's brother said that his Kuya told him the man was the manager of the cockfighting venue.
But the witnesses did not appear before the DOJ prosecution panel.
The dismissal of the complaint, according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, is not final.
Remulla noted that the complaint was made last year under the old prosecutors' system, in which prosecutors just depended on evidence given to them in determining whether there was probable cause to press charges in court.
In late March of this year, Remulla signed DOJ Circular No. 20, which directed prosecutors to take an "active role" in the investigation of specific crimes. If the abduction charge is re-filed, this is the procedure that will be followed.
Remulla earlier promised the families of the more than 30 missing sabungeros that the DOJ is actively investigating the case. He is scheduled to meet with them next week.
In December last year, DOJ prosecutors indicted three officers, who posed as National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents and raided and arrested e-sabotage CEO Ricardo Lasco in his home in San Pablo, Laguna, on August 30, 2021.
Three officers have been charged with the kidnapping and robbery.
Six more people, including Patidongan, were accused in a Manila court on January 13, 2022, of kidnapping and serious illegal detention under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code in connection with the disappearance of six sabungeros at the Manila Arena.
