8 guards charged over missing sabungeros

MANILA, Philippines — The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed charges against eight security personnel of the Manila Arena implicated in the alleged disappearance of six cockfight players on Jan. 13.

CIDG agents, with their lone witness, filed their complaint before the Department of Justice in Manila yesterday afternoon.

Col. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the complaints that were filed are for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

The cases are in connection with the alleged kidnapping of siblings Marlon and James Baccay, John Claude Inonog, Mark Joseph Velasco, Rondel Cristorum and Rowel Gomez, all from Bulacan.

The CIDG has yet to name the respondents in the case. It earlier summoned security guards Mark Carlo Zabala, Rogelio Borican, Bergelio Bayog, Joey Pirrira and Arnel Arturo, as well as Manila Arena administrator Cesar Sulit, to shed light on the missing cockfight enthusiasts.

The witness claimed he saw the security guards forcing the victims into a van, which was then spotted leaving the Manila Arena together with other vehicles.