POLICE probers have linked former members of the Laguna Police Provincial Office — Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) in at least one of the six missing “sabungeros” (cockfighting aficionados) case.
Police Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz, head of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, yesterday told senators that several witnesses have identified Police Staff Sgt. Daryl Paghangaan and Pat. Roy Navarette as among those involved in the kidnapping of supposed e-sabong master agent Ricardo “Jonjon” Lasco Jr. on August 30 last year in San Pablo City.
He said the two cops were positively named by Lasco’s partner, Princess Montanes-Lasco, her mother and two sisters, who all allegedly witnessed how the victim was dragged into a waiting van.
Cruz said witnesses have also named other cops but the CIDG is still finalizing the list of former PIB police officers involved in the kidnapping.
Aside from Princess’ and the three women’s positive identification, Cruz said the names of Paghangaan and Navarette were also mentioned by other witnesses as among those who were involved in the other cases of the missing sabungeros, specifically those who were last seen in a cockpit arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
To make sure that they were positively identified by the four women, Cruz said 28 pictures were presented to the ladies.
“It is not often that four women have consistently identified these cops who can harass them after this investigation. That’s our basis,” Cruz said during the third hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs into the cases of the 34 missing cockfighters.
He added he also personally talked to the four women at his office in Camp Crame so he can have first-hand information regarding Lasco’s case.
Cruz said Princess pointed to Paghangaan “without hesitation” as one of the men who forced Lasco into a waiting van when she saw the pictures presented by CIDG investigators.
He added the women also identified Paghangaan and Navarette as among those who ransacked Lasco’s house and stole some valuables on the pretext of serving a warrant of arrest for alleged large scale estafa.
He said Paghangaan, Navarette, and other former PIB cops were in civilian clothes and identified themselves as members of the National Bureau of Investigation who will bring Lasco either to their field office in Batangas or at the NBI main headquarters in Manila.
Princess recalled the men arrived in their house in San Pablo City at around 10 a.m. of August 30, with Paghangaaan “waving” an alleged warrant of arrest for Lasco.
She said after Paghangaan went inside the house, more men entered, with some dragging Lasco into a waiting van, and others ransacking each room of the house.
Princess said one of the men ordered them to open Lasco’s safety deposit vault but they could not since only Lasco knew its combination. The men allegedly carried the vault and brought it with into the waiting van.
Not satisfied, the witnesses said the cops took all their valuables, including cellphones, cash, and jewelry before speeding away with Lasco.
Lacso has yet to be located by the police.
Cruz said the four women said they were able to have a good look at Paghangaan’s and Navarette’s faces because their face masks drooped several times.
For his defense, Paghangaan said he was not in San Pablo City at the time of the kidnapping since he delivered detergent soaps in Pila town, also in Laguna, while Navarette said he was with other cops inspecting checkpoints in other parts of Laguna the same time and day Lasco was kidnapped.
Cruz said their alibis werecweak since they were positively identified by the four women.
Alvin Indon, another witness presented during the hearing, said it was Navarette who threatened to kill him after he and another colleague were caught by authorities of cockpit arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna which is supposedly operated by Charlie “Atong” Ang on November 18, 2020 on suspicions that they were into game fixing.
