THE Bureau of Immigration yesterday said it has yet to receive a copy of the immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) from the Department of Justice (DOJ) against businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang and the other respondents who were charged in relation to the missing “sabungeros” (cockfighting enthusiasts) case.
But immigration spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said that even without the ILBO, agents deployed in international ports have been advised to be on alert for the possible travel abroad of Ang and the other personalities accused in the case.
“We have yet to receive a copy of the order, but as a proactive measure, the Commissioner has instructed all ports to monitor their travels,” Sandoval said.
The families of the missing sabungeros have filed multiple murders, serious illegal detention, direct bribery and obstruction of justice against Ang and other personalities before the DOJ.
Sandoval explained that an ILBO will not prevent an individual from leaving the country as it is only meant to alert authorities that he or she is traveling abroad, the purpose of travel and the destination.
An individual can only be prevented from leaving the country if a court has issued hold departure order (HDO) against him or her.
On Friday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the DOJ has issued an ILBO against Ang, actress Gretchen Barreto, retired NCRPO chief Jonnel Estomo and others personalities that have been named by suspect-turned-whistleblower Julie “Totoy” Patidongan.
Patidongan has tagged Ang as the alleged mastermind in the abduction and killing of the sabungeros, who have been missing since 2021.
He has also told authorities that the cockfighting enthusiasts have been killed and their bodies dumped in Taal Lake, a claim that has prompted technical divers from the Philippine Coast Guard to launch a search and recovery operation in the lake.
Ang has denied the allegations. He has filed a damage suit against Patidongan before the Mandaluyong prosecutors office, claiming that the latter attempted to extort millions of pesos from him in exchange for not dragging his name to the controversy.
Remulla disclosed that the DOJ has issued an ILBO against Ang and the other respondents after Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said that the preliminary investigation on the missing sabungeros case is already set to begin, with over 60 respondents set to receive subpoenas by next week.
Meanwhile, Sen. Erwin Tulfo yesterday slammed the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for supposedly turning a blind eye on the continued operations of e-sabong despite of their suspension in 2022.
Tulfo noted that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has sought the assistance of the PNP and NBI to shut down the e-sabong operations, but no actions were taken.
He said illegal e-sabong operators are raking in millions of pesos every month and yet not a single centavo is being paid in taxes to the government.
“There are two illegal online sabong operators which not only ruin lives but also fail to pay taxes to the government,” he said.
Tulfo doubts that the PNP and the NBI are unaware of the locations of the illegal cockfighting venues, which he said continue to broadcast live and accept bets online.
“With the number of people carrying roosters inside cockfighting arenas and live video streaming happening openly, it is impossible that the police chief or provincial director doesn’t know where these operations are taking place,” he said.
Tulfo said he has information that one e-sabong runs its operations in Central Luzon, while another operates in the Southern Tagalog region but the owner hails from the Cordilleras.
He said he will invite officials from the PNP and the NBI, among them the provincial police directors of Batangas and Pampanga, and the regional police director of Region 3, 4-A, and the Cordilleras, when the Committee on Games and Amusement, which he chairs, holds another hearing on the matter.
At the House of Representatives, the chairperson of the House Committee on Human Rights said he wants Ang and Barreto to attend the House quad committee’s upcoming investigation into the sabungeros case, which happened during the Duterte administration.
“I believe so (Ang will be invited). Later on, papatawag din natin siya (we’ll also call him). He was charged for murder, even, I think, Gretchen Baretto,” Manila Rep. Benny Abante said in an interview on Friday night.
Abante said Patidongan and the 18 policemen allegedly involved in the case would also be required to attend the investigation of the House quad committee which is set look into the possibility that the case of the missing sabungeros is linked to the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.
The Abante panel is part of the quad committee, along with the House Committees on Public Order and Safety, on Dangerous Drugs, and on Public Accounts.
Abante has earlier expressed disappointment that the ongoing investigation into the missing sabungeros case seems to be going nowhere.
“I’m not happy… In fact, I told them (DOJ) because, look, the DOJ is investigating, the (PNP) CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) is investigating, the Napolcom (National Police Commission) is also investigating but so far, none has been charged in court,” he said.
“And one more thing. Even if the forensics of the Philippine National Police uncovered 401 human bones (in Taal Lake), they have not actually given us any DNA match of the missing sabungeros. So sabi ko, e kung walang ganong bagay, ‘di walang kaso. Walang kaso (I said if there’s nothing, then there’s no case),” he added.
Authorities have already recovered a total of 401 pieces of human skeletal remains from the Taal Lake in their search for the missing sabungeros, but not a single piece of bone has so far matched the DNA samples of the victims’ relatives. – With Raymond Africa and Wendell Vigilia
