From the Website of PNA
5 cops in missing Laguna 'sabungero' case axed: PNP
MANILA – Five police officers who were involved in the case of a missing online cockfighting master agent in Laguna last year have been dismissed from the service, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. signed the dismissal order against Staff Sgt. Daryl Panghangaan, Pat. Roy Navarete, Lt. Henry Sasaluya, Master Sgt. Michael Claveria and Pat. Regil Brosas over the alleged kidnapping of Ricardo Lasco, an e-sabong master agent who was abducted from his residence in San Pedro town in 2021.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the move was based on the recommendation of the Internal Affairs Service, which found substantial evidence against the suspects.
She said these policemen are currently under restrictive custody at the Calabarzon regional police headquarters.
“Once ma-receive nila ‘yung official copy ng kanilang dismissal order then the PNP will let go of them dahil wala na rin jurisdiction ang PNP sa kanila. Kailangan na lang po talaga maipa-receive sa kanila officially para at least they will be given the opportunity, as part of due process, to appeal ‘yung recommended penalty sa kanila (Once they receive the official copy of their dismissal order then the PNP will let go of them because the PNP no longer has jurisdiction over them. They need to receive it officially so that at least they will be given the opportunity, as part of the due process, to appeal the recommended penalty),” said Fajardo.
In a Nov. 25 resolution made public on Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) found probable cause to indict Panghanggan, Navarette and Brosas on charges of robbery and kidnapping while it cleared Sasaluya and Claveria.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) welcomed the indictment.
“Ito ay nagpapatunay lamang na hindi natutulog ang hustisya. Tayo ay natutuwa sa paglabas ng rekomendasyong ito at tayo’y umaasa na mareresolba rin natin ang iba pang kasong ating hawak para dito sa mga nawawalang biktima (This just proves that justice never sleeps. We are happy with the release of this recommendation and we hope that we will also be able to resolve the other cases of the missing victims),” CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee said in a separate statement.
State prosecutors considered the testimonies of all the witnesses, as well as the closed circuit television footage of the kidnapping of Lasco, sufficient to establish the case.
The suspects were positively identified by the witnesses based on their statements and other pieces of evidence as the group that entered the house of Lasco, introduced themselves as National Bureau of Investigation personnel and arrested the victim by virtue of a purported arrest warrant for large scale estafa on Aug. 30, 2021 in Barangay San Lucas 1.
They also took with them personal belongings and cash of the victim and his relatives amounting to over PHP10.4 million.
The case of Lasco is one of the eight cases handled by the CIDG Special Investigtion Task Group “Sabungero” who took cognizance of the case for further investigation after the complaint for kidnapping filed by the victim’s family before the San Pablo City, Laguna prosecutor's office was dismissed.
Lasco is still considered "missing" as the CIDG is probing eight other cases involving the disappearances of 34 other e-sabong enthusiasts since 2020.
'They're dead'
However, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the chances that the missing men would turn up alive are growing increasingly slim.
"Parang misnomer siya kasi ‘yung kanilang circumstances sa kanilang pagkawala (Disappearance seems to be a misnomer because of the circumstances behind their disappearance) do not point to any possible return," Remulla said in a radio interview also on Tuesday.
He said the presumption of death will contribute to how the prosecutors will go after the suspects and how the courts will appreciate the cases.
"Ang pinag-iisipan natin diyan ‘yung charges na ipa-file sa mga taong dumukot sa kanila, sa mga taong nakikitaan ng mga ebidensya laban sa kanila (What we need to study are the cases to be filed against the abductors or those involved with strong evidence),” he said. (PNA)
5 cops in missing Laguna 'sabungero' case axed: PNP
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. signed the dismissal order against Staff Sgt. Daryl Panghangaan, Pat. Roy Navarete, Lt. Henry Sasaluya, Master Sgt. Michael Claveria and Pat. Regil Brosas over the alleged kidnapping of Ricardo Lasco, an e-sabong master agent who was abducted from his residence in San Pedro town in 2021.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the move was based on the recommendation of the Internal Affairs Service, which found substantial evidence against the suspects.
She said these policemen are currently under restrictive custody at the Calabarzon regional police headquarters.
“Once ma-receive nila ‘yung official copy ng kanilang dismissal order then the PNP will let go of them dahil wala na rin jurisdiction ang PNP sa kanila. Kailangan na lang po talaga maipa-receive sa kanila officially para at least they will be given the opportunity, as part of due process, to appeal ‘yung recommended penalty sa kanila (Once they receive the official copy of their dismissal order then the PNP will let go of them because the PNP no longer has jurisdiction over them. They need to receive it officially so that at least they will be given the opportunity, as part of the due process, to appeal the recommended penalty),” said Fajardo.
In a Nov. 25 resolution made public on Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) found probable cause to indict Panghanggan, Navarette and Brosas on charges of robbery and kidnapping while it cleared Sasaluya and Claveria.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) welcomed the indictment.
“Ito ay nagpapatunay lamang na hindi natutulog ang hustisya. Tayo ay natutuwa sa paglabas ng rekomendasyong ito at tayo’y umaasa na mareresolba rin natin ang iba pang kasong ating hawak para dito sa mga nawawalang biktima (This just proves that justice never sleeps. We are happy with the release of this recommendation and we hope that we will also be able to resolve the other cases of the missing victims),” CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee said in a separate statement.
State prosecutors considered the testimonies of all the witnesses, as well as the closed circuit television footage of the kidnapping of Lasco, sufficient to establish the case.
The suspects were positively identified by the witnesses based on their statements and other pieces of evidence as the group that entered the house of Lasco, introduced themselves as National Bureau of Investigation personnel and arrested the victim by virtue of a purported arrest warrant for large scale estafa on Aug. 30, 2021 in Barangay San Lucas 1.
They also took with them personal belongings and cash of the victim and his relatives amounting to over PHP10.4 million.
The case of Lasco is one of the eight cases handled by the CIDG Special Investigtion Task Group “Sabungero” who took cognizance of the case for further investigation after the complaint for kidnapping filed by the victim’s family before the San Pablo City, Laguna prosecutor's office was dismissed.
Lasco is still considered "missing" as the CIDG is probing eight other cases involving the disappearances of 34 other e-sabong enthusiasts since 2020.
'They're dead'
However, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the chances that the missing men would turn up alive are growing increasingly slim.
"Parang misnomer siya kasi ‘yung kanilang circumstances sa kanilang pagkawala (Disappearance seems to be a misnomer because of the circumstances behind their disappearance) do not point to any possible return," Remulla said in a radio interview also on Tuesday.
He said the presumption of death will contribute to how the prosecutors will go after the suspects and how the courts will appreciate the cases.
"Ang pinag-iisipan natin diyan ‘yung charges na ipa-file sa mga taong dumukot sa kanila, sa mga taong nakikitaan ng mga ebidensya laban sa kanila (What we need to study are the cases to be filed against the abductors or those involved with strong evidence),” he said. (PNA)
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