MANILA: The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has given 12 active police officers five days to file their counter-affidavits in connection with the abduction of cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungeros).
The agency’s Inspection, Monitoring, and Investigation Service served the summons to the officers on Tuesday (July 15), a day after whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan (alias Totoy) filed a formal affidavit-complaint against them and six other officers who had already been dismissed.
“They are given five days to submit their counter-affidavits. Failure to do so constitutes a waiver of their rights to submit the same,” Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Rafael Calinisan said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.
“The complaint will then be evaluated [to determine] whether or not it would proceed to a formal charge,” he added.
In a June interview with GMA News, Patidongan claimed that gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang paid several police officers to kidnap and kill sabungeros accused of cheating in the cockfights.
Emil Sumangil’s wife asks for prayers amid probe into missing ‘sabungeros’
Michelle Sumangil, wife of broadcast journalist Emil Sumangil, has asked the public for prayers amid concerns for her husband’s safety.
Ang strongly denied the allegations, calling them “entirely false and without basis,” and said the claims were causing “irreparable harm [through] a trial by publicity.”
He also accused Patidongan of attempting to extort P300 million from him in exchange for not implicating him in the abductions. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
