Six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention will be filed against six suspects who are allegedly behind the disappearance of six out of 34 missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts), the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Friday.

In a press briefer, the DOJ said its panel of prosecutors found that the six suspects namely Julie Patidongan alias 'Dondon', Gleer Codilla, Mark Carlo Zabala, Virgillio Bayog, Johnry Consolacion, and Roberto Matillano “conspired in kidnapping and depriving liberty” of the six missing Tanay-based victims.

The cases will be filed before the Regional Trial Court of Manila City.

The six missing sabungeros left Tanay, Rizal, at around 1:00 am last Jan. 13 to go to Manila Arena. But they were forced to ride a gray van at 7:30 pm and were never seen again.

According to the justice department, the respondents denied their participation in the disappearance of the six, claiming that they have no personal knowledge of the crime and said they were not present when the kidnapping occurred.

But complainant Venancio Inonong, the father of one of the missing victims, testified that he talked via phone with his son who identified the suspects Bayog, Consolacion, and Matilliano.

“Further, Denmark B. Sinfuego, another witness, narrated that he saw respondents Patidongan, Codilla, Zabala, Bayog, Consolacion, and Matilliano Jr. captured victims Cristorum, Gomez, and Velasco,” the DOJ said.

On Monday, the DOJ announced that three of the five officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Laguna will face kidnapping and robbery of an e-sabong agent named Ricardo Lasco in August last year.