Latest news with #WitnessProtectionProgram
GMA Network
30-07-2025
- GMA Network
Human skull found from Taal Lake —DOJ's Remulla
Authorities retrieved a human skull from Taal Lake on Tuesday amid the search and retrieval operations for the missing sabungeros, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Wednesday. 'May kasamang bungo ng tao at mga buto,' Remulla said in an ambush interview. (There was a human skull and some bones.) 'Nandoon 'yung ngipin eh. May ngipin na kasama. Hindi ko alam kung kasama 'yung panga, 'yung lower jaw, pero 'yung upper teeth kasama,' he later added. (The teeth were there. There were teeth included. I don't know if the jaw, the lower jaw, was included, but the upper teeth were there.) According to Remulla, the bones were found in the area that was identified by whistleblower Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan, who told authorities that more than 100 sabungeros were abducted, killed, and then dumped at Taal Lake. 'Sa pinaghahanapan din. 'Yung quadrant na hinahanapan. Hindi pa naman sila lumalabas sa apat na quadrant na itinakda na hanapan ng labi,' he said. (At the search site as well. The quadrant being searched. They haven't gone beyond the four quadrants designated for searching for the remains.) When asked about the importance of discovering the remains, the Justice secretary reiterated this adds to the credibility of their witness who claimed that remains of people who are killed are thrown into the area. Remulla said these people may have been killed not only due to e-sabong, but also the drug war or other crimes. He said the bones are with the Philippine National Police crime lab for examination. So far, among other alleged remains recovered during the search, authorities have retrieved what is believed to be a human hip bone and human ribs. Remulla previously said there is also a new witness in the case who will bolster the credibility of Patidongan. He said that the witness is under the custody of the police. 'Meron na. Meron na siyang interviews na kina-conduct at 'yung ibang staff ko kasama sa interview na kina-conduct,' he said. (There are already some. He has already conducted interviews and some of my staff were included in the interviews conducted.) He declined to divulge what the new witness said. However, he said they are looking into the possibility of including the new witness to the Witness Protection Program. 'Malamang ganun din naman ang balak natin. Basta qualified pwede naman. Marami lang pagdadaanan na proseso. Kasi nga, syempre, kailangan i-charge muna. Pag i-charge mo, idi-discharge mo as state witness,' Remulla said. (Most likely that's also our plan. As long as they're qualified, it's possible. They'll just have to go through many processes. Because, of course, they need to be charged first. When you charge them, you'll discharge them as a state witness.) He also said the possible complaints that they may file are already ripe but authorities are still ironing out some details. When asked about some families of the missing sabungeros allegedly being pressured to incriminate Patidongan, Remulla said this is the reason he asked for the relief of a service commander of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). Remulla previously bared that he asked Philippine National Police chief Police General Nicolas Torre III to relieve a service commander from the investigation. He said the commander was not removed for supposed involvement in the disappearance of the sabungeros, but due to a lack of trust. 'Kaya nga sabi ko nga, kaya na-relieve 'yung service director ng CIDG. 'Yung sinasabi kong service director na hinihingi namin, 'yun, tinanggal na 'yung service director ng CIDG,' he said. (That's why I said, that's why the service director of the CIDG was relieved. The service director I was referring to that we were requesting, yes, the service director of the CIDG was removed.) 'Isa 'yan sa mga ulat sa amin na may mga kumilos na ganyan ang gustong mangyari,' he later added. (That's one of the reports we received that there were people who acted in such a way because that's what they wanted to happen.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
07-07-2025
- GMA Network
Missing sabungeros whistleblower under PNP protective custody —Torre
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday confirmed that the whistleblower in the case of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts or sabungeros is under the protective custody of the police. 'Si 'Totoy' nasa protective custody namin siya sa ngayon,' PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III said in a press briefing. ('Totoy' is in our protective custody right now.) 'But he's already applying for the Witness Protection Program dahil kapag siya ay nag-qualify i-turn over namin siya sa Department of Justice. Sa ngayon naman, madali na 'yun. Na kay [Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla] na ang final say d'yan sa kaniyang protection,' he added. (But he's already applying for the Witness Protection Program and when he qualifies, we will turn him over to the Department of Justice. Right now, that's easy. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla has the final say on his protection.) Meanwhile, the 15 cops whom the whistleblower recently implicated in the disappearances of the missing sabungeros are under restrictive custody at Camp Crame in Quezon City, according to Torre. 'Marami sa kanila nasa support units. May mga nasa region. May mga nasa [area police commands]. Iba-ibang mga units sila. Lahat sila active except for one na due for retirement at tatlong dating na-dismiss,' Torre said, referring to the assignments of the 15 cops. (Many of them are in support units. Some are in the region. Some are in the APC. They are in different units. They are all active except for one who is due for retirement and three who were previously dismissed.) Seven cops allegedly involved in the abduction of the cockfighting enthusiasts were initially dismissed from the service as early as January 2023. Torre said some of the 15 cops in restrictive custody were included in the alleged up to P2 million monthly payola from Atong Ang, who was among the supposed masterminds in the disappearances as claimed by the whistleblower. According to the PNP chief, the police are looking into more personalities possibly involved in the case and their possible locations. A total of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts have been reported missing from 2021 to 2022. According to the police, the missing personalities were kidnapped allegedly due to match fixing or cheating in the cockfighting games. The whistleblower claims that the victims were already buried in Taal Lake. However, Torre said the police are also checking other alleged 'disposal areas' of the missing sabungeros. He added that they received information that some sabungeros were burned. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
24-06-2025
- GMA Network
Cops among those linked to missing sabungeros case
At least 30 people, including police officers, were involved in the kidnapping case of the missing sabungeros, or cockfight enthusiasts, according to alias 'Totoy,' one of the accused. According to Emil Sumangil's exclusive report on '24 Oras' on Tuesday, Totoy will name the alleged involved persons in his affidavit. 'Sa pagkakaalam ko 108 plus 1 sa Lipa Farm at saka sa Siniloan Farm,' Totoy said. 'Estimated ko, mga 10 ang sibilyan o mahigit pa. Yung mga nasa serbisyo, mga 20 yun sila,' he added. (To my knowledge, there are 108 plus 1 at Lipa Farm and at Siniloan Farm. I estimated that 10 are civilians while 20 are in service.) Totoy also said security guards in the cockpit should also be charged since they're the ones who turned over the victims to the uniformed personnel. After the turnover, the uniformed personnel supposedly took the victims to the place where they were killed.) Totoy also said he would include the owner of the property where the missing sabungeros were allegedly buried. 'Pinakitaan nila ako ng video. Dyan lang yan sa Talisay, (Batangas). Palaisdaan po yan. May-ari kasama sa kakasuhan Unipormado yan, yes (pulis),' Totoy said. (They showed me a video. They were buried in Talisay, Batangas. In a fish farm. A case will also be filed against the owner, who is a police officer.) Since Totoy knew he could be traced easily, he transferred from one place to another. The Department of Justice on Monday said it has discussed the enrollment of Totoy into the Witness Protection Program. 'Sa ngayon inaayos lang ang dokumento. Katulad ng sinabi ko sa mga kamag-anak, bago matapos ang buwan siguro sisikapin na ng mga awtoridad na isiwalat na ang lahat,' Totoy said. (We're preparing the documents. Just like what I told the victims' families, authorities will do their best to reveal everything before the month ends.) —GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
23-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
DOJ, PNP discuss Witness Protection Program for missing sabungero suspect —Remulla
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have discussed the possible enrolment of alias 'Totoy,' one of the accused in the kidnapping case of the missing sabungeros, into the Witness Protection Program. According to Darlene Cay's Monday report on '24 Oras,' the DOJ and PNP's meeting came after Totoy expressed willingness to testify in court, adding that his life and his family's lives are being threatened. 'Basta, we're processing the information first, pero may arrangement na kami ni PNP Chief Torre,' DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said. (We're processing the information first, but we already have an arrangement with PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III.) He added that the DOJ has evidence that can support Totoy's statements, but did not go into the details. 'Meron kaming corroborative evidence na kasama. Basta meron kaming ibang klaseng evidence pa,' Remulla said. (We have corroborative evidence and other types of evidence.) He added that 10 suspects revealed by Totoy are also being investigated. However, Totoy has yet to submit a formal affidavit. The DOJ also denied allegations from the families of the missing sabungeros that the government has abandoned them. 'No such thing. Talagang hindi kami nag gi-give eh. We have not given up on anything or anybody. Ganun lang talaga, mabagal minsan ang kaso. Ito po ay proseso. Kinakailangan may ebidensya na makakalap at ginagawa ho namin ang lahat,' Remulla said. 'Kagaya nga niyan, sabi ko nga, nakausap ko na siya bago pa dumating yung election at na-process na namin yung information,' he added. (No such thing. We have not given up on anything or anybody. Sometimes, the progress of the case is slow because this is a process, and we need to gather evidence. We're doing what we can. I talked to him before the elections, and we processed the information.) —GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
23-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
SOJ Remulla: We haven't given up on case of missing sabungeros
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday assured families of the missing sabungeros that the government continues to investigate their case. 'Hindi kami nag gi-give up. We have not given up on anything or anybody. Ganon lang talaga, mabagal minsan ang kaso. Ito po ay proseso, kinakailangan po na may ebidensya na makakalap at ginagawa ho namin ang lahat,' Remulla said in an ambush interview. (We are not giving up. We have not given up on anything or anybody. It's just that sometimes cases move slowly. This is a process, and evidence needs to be gathered, and we are doing everything we can.) Remulla issued the remark when asked about the sentiment of the families that they feel as if the government has abandoned them due to the lack of progress in the cases. Meanwhile, the DOJ chief said authorities are currently processing the information provided by 'Alyas Totoy.' Totoy claimed that the missing sabungeros were thrown into Taal Lake. He also claimed that the abduction and killings were linked to the owner of the cockpit and online sabong operations. Remulla said he has talked with Totoy regarding his possible enrollment into the Witness Protection Program. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
