Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has pledged unwavering pursuit in the case of missing cockfighting enthusiasts as respondents recently granted bail despite being fugitives, showing the deficiencies in the country’s justice system.
“We will explore all legal avenues, escalating to higher courts if needed, as we believe the gravity of the situation warrants reassessment by the judiciary,” Remulla said in a press briefing.
“The mere act of evading the law should disqualify them from bail. Granting bail to fugitives reflects poorly on our legal system,” he continued.
Remulla assured the families of the missing individuals that the government remains steadfast in apprehending those accountable for their disappearance.
Under the circumstances, Remulla expressed the likelihood that the 34 missing cockfighting enthusiasts are deceased by now, stating, “We need not wait 7 years under the civil code. Unless there are credible sightings, we must consider them gone.”
Recently, the Manila Regional Trial Court permitted six individuals implicated in the disappearance of six cockfighting enthusiasts to post bail for temporary release.
The suspects, Julie Patidongan, Gleer Codilla, Mark Carlo Zabala, Virgilio Bayog, Johnry Consolacion, and Roberto Matillano Jr., were each granted a P3 million bail, facing six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges.
Reports indicated the prosecution’s challenge in establishing necessary elements due to limited witness information.
The charges stem from the alleged abduction on January 22, 2022, en route from Tanay, Rizal, to Manila Arena, involving John Claude Inonog, James E. Baccay, Marlon E. Baccay, Rondel F. Cristorum, Mark Joseph L. Velasco, and Rowel G. Gomez.
They were last seen entering a gray van at 7:30 p.m., later found abandoned in Barangay Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal.