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Villagers engage in a cockfighting in a make shift arena as part of the town's annual "fiesta" celebrations in Barangay San Roque outside Manila on August 10, 2014.
AFP / Jay Directo
MANILA, Philippines — Whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, also known as Totoy, is set to file a formal complaint before the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) on Monday against police officers allegedly involved in the disappearance of over 30 sabungeros or cockfighting enthusiasts from 2021 to 2022.
“Sa Lunes, pupunta ako ng NAPOLCOM. 'Yung mga pulis na nabanggit ko ay kakasuhan ko na,” Patidongan said in an interview over Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday, July 12.
(On Monday, I will go to NAPOLCOM. I will file charges against the police officers I mentioned.)
His move comes after NAPOLCOM Vice Chairperson Atty. Rafael Calinisan urged him last week to submit a complaint affidavit so the agency could proceed with the administrative investigation.
According to Calinisan, NAPOLCOM already has a list of cops allegedly linked to the high-profile case, which has dragged on for years without resolution.
So far, 15 police officers have been placed under restrictive custody at Camp Crame, Quezon City, for their supposed involvement in the abduction of the sabungeros.
Patidongan earlier claimed that some of these officers received monthly payouts of up to P2 million from businessman Atong Ang, whom he identified as one of the masterminds behind the disappearances. He also named actress Gretchen Barretto, although both have denied the allegations.
The whistleblower said that one of the officers under investigation owns a fishpond in Taal Lake, which he believes was used as a site to carry out and cover up the killings.
“Siguro doon dinala at doon isinagawa ang pagpaslang sa missing sabungeros,” he said.
(Maybe that’s where the missing sabungeros were brought and killed.)
Last Thursday, a sack containing what appeared to be charred human bones was retrieved from the lakebed in Laurel, Batangas—an area identified by Patidongan as a dumping ground. On Friday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed that two more sacks containing suspected skeletal remains were found during the ongoing search and retrieval operations.
Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog commander Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla said the sacks have been turned over to Scene of the Crime Operatives for forensic examination.
Patidongan had earlier said he received videos showing bodies being thrown into the lake. He also speculated that the victims may have been dismembered, stuffed into sacks and weighed down with sand before being dumped.
“Sa sobrang dami niyan, hindi ko masyadong matandaan kung ilan ang inilubog nila diyan. Base sa mga video na sinend sa akin, talagang may inilubog diyan,” he said.
(Because there were so many, I can't remember how many were dumped. But based on the videos sent to me, bodies were really thrown there.)
Calinisan said NAPOLCOM has also received feelers from another potential witness connected to Patidongan, offering additional information to aid the investigation.
According to authorities, the missing sabungeros were believed to have been abducted due to alleged match-fixing or cheating in cockfighting events.
The disappearances, which have remained unresolved for years, have sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for accountability.
