MANILA: Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday (July 29) said authorities are holding a new witness in the case of the missing sabungeros (cockfight enthusiasts), who could bolster the testimony of whistleblower Julie “Totoy” Patidongan.
Remulla said the civilian witness not only has direct knowledge of the disappearances but also possesses concrete evidence that corroborates existing accounts.
“There is real evidence here. Aside from just a story, this witness comes with actual proof to support it,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) chief said in Filipino in a chance interview.
Also on Tuesday, Remulla personally thanked Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III—who was at the DOJ for a meeting—for relieving a service commander involved in the investigation due to alleged suspicious behavior.
“I asked General Torre to relieve a certain service commander, and it was done. So now, our path toward resolving this problem is once again clear,” he said in Filipino.
Remulla did not disclose the identity of the individual or specify their actions, but noted that the service commander was not among the police officers already facing administrative complaints in relation to the case.
“But he did something I did not approve of. You know, trust is extremely important in this kind of process … because without trust, how can people be expected to speak out?” he said in Filipino.
In his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said that the entire government is working to resolve the case of the missing sabungeros, stressing that everyone involved—whether civilians or public officials—will be held accountable. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
