a day ago
Patidongan being evaluated as possible state witness — DOJ Sec. Remulla
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday they are looking into the possibility of discharging whistleblower Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan or alias Totoy as a state witness in the case of the Missing Sabungeros.
'We will ask the court to discharge him as a state witness. Later on. It may be only in this case already,' Remulla said in an ambush interview.
He later clarified that this is 'still being evaluated.'
Patidongan is one of the six accused in the abduction and serious illegal detention case of several sabungeros or cockfighting enthusiasts who went missing from the Manila Arena in January 2022.
The sabungeros were identified as John Claude Inonog, Rondel Cristorum, Mark Joseph Velasco, Rowel Gomez, and brothers James Baccay and Marlon Baccay.
The six men left Tanay, Rizal at 1 p.m. on January 13, 2022, to go to the Manila Arena but were allegedly forced to board a gray van at around 7:30 p.m. They were never seen again.
Last June, Patidongan surfaced as a whistleblower, first going by the alias 'Totoy.'
Patidongan claimed that businessman Charlie "Atong" Ang is the mastermind behind the abduction of the sabungeros who were reported missing from 2021 to 2022. He also told authorities that more than 100 sabungeros were abducted and killed.
He said their remains were then dumped in the Taal Lake.
The families of the missing sabungeros have filed a complaint for multiple murder, serious illegal detention, enforced disappearance, direct bribery, and obstruction of justice against Ang.
Ang's camp has repeatedly denied the allegations against him. — RF, GMA Integrated News
