PNP sacks 5 cops over missing sabungero

MANILA, Philippines — Five police officers tagged in the disappearance of an online sabong agent in Laguna last year were dismissed from the service, the Philippine National (PNP) reported yesterday.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin signed the order dismissing Lt. Henry Sasaluya, M/Sgt. Michel Claveria, S/Sgt. Dary Paghangaan as well as Patrolmen Roy Navarete and Rigell Brosas.

“The swift resolution on the administrative complaint against these erring police personnel is a manifestation of the continuous internal cleansing being implemented in the PNP,” Azurin said in a statement.

He sacked the police officers after the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) found substantial evidence to recommend their dismissal.

The IAS found them guilty of grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

The five were implicated in the kidnapping of e-sabong agent Ricardo Lasco in Barangay San Lucas, San Pablo City on Aug. 30, 2021.

With their dismissal, the PNP said it no longer has jurisdiction over the police officers who are under the restrictive custody of the Laguna police.

An investigating panel from the Department of Justice (DOJ) has found probable cause to indict Paghangaan, Navarete and Brosas for kidnapping and robbery in band.

The charges against Sasaluya and Claveria were dropped for lack of probable cause.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said charges could be filed against Sasaluya and Claveria if additional evidence would be presented against them.

“Hindi naman ito papasok sa double jeopardy dahil nasa level pa lang naman ito ng prosecutor’s office,” Fajardo told reporters.

She said the police officers may appeal their dismissal, but doubts if their arguments would sway the PNP.

“Definitely, hindi na po sila makakabalik sa serbisyo dahil napakahigpit ng panuntunan at mabigat ang sinampang kaso sa kanila,” she said.

The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group welcomed the DOJ’s decision to file kidnapping charges against three of the five police officers.

“We hope that the other cases involving the missing sabungeros will be resolved soon,” CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee said in a statement.

‘Hope dims for missing sabungeros’

The families of the 34 missing cockfight enthusiasts may be bracing for sad news as the DOJ said there is “almost no hope” that they would return alive.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said it might be appropriate to presume the victims “dead” considering the circumstances of their supposed kidnapping.

“The circumstances of their disappearance are the same: their vehicles were returned to the neighborhoods they came from,” Remulla said in an interview on dzBB.

“There’s almost no hope that they will return alive. We need to presume them dead,” he added.

Remulla said he believes that the families of the sabungeros have accepted the fate of the victims.

He explained that presuming them still alive while evidence is still lacking would result in “double jeopardy.”

Remulla said DOJ investigators have yet to identify the mastermind in the disappearance of the cockfight aficionados.

“We will point to the mastermind for as long as we have evidence. We cannot just put blame on people if we don’t have evidence,” he said. – Neil Jayson Servallos