'Truth must come out in e-sabong abductions' (Sabong News)
Author
Javier Joe Ismael
Date
MARCH 23 2022
SEN. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go on Monday said the truth must come out on the mystery behind the disappearance of at least 34 e-sabong players.
This comes after the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group revealed during a Senate public order committee hearing that it is preparing to file criminal charges against policemen allegedly involved in the abduction of Ricardo "Jonjon" Lasco, an e-sabong master agent in San Pablo City in Laguna.
"Dapat lumabas 'yung totoo. Inatasan na po ng Pangulo ang pulis at ang NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) na imbestigahan at lumabas 'yung katotohanan dahil buhay po ang nawawala dito (Truth has to come out. The President has already ordered the police and the NBI to investigate and let the truth come out because lives were lost)," the senator said.
At least four of Lasco's relatives who claimed to have witnessed the abduction appeared at the Senate hearing on Monday.
They named Pat. Roy Navarete and SSg. Daryl Paghangaan as among those who abducted Lasco from his house in San Pablo City on August 30. The policemen denied the allegation.
Lasco's family said that a group of at least 10 men stormed their home and identified themselves as agents of the NBI. They allegedly dragged Lasco away and ransacked their rooms before fleeing. A security camera managed to record the incident.
The PNP said it will conduct its own investigation.
"The PNP will not take the witnesses' accounts lightly, but the organization will have to make sure that due process is upheld. Names of PNP personnel have floated during the legislative inquiry, but we will need to validate this information more thoroughly," it said in a statement.
The PNP likewise asked its personnel not to engage in any form of gambling, or to disengage themselves from such illegal activity.
"We continue to remind our personnel, as reiterated by PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Bernardo Carlos, to disengage themselves from any form of gambling activity. They will face the consequences sa oras na mapatunayan na involved sila (once they are proven to be involved)," the PNP statement said.
In a memorandum dated March 8, Malacañang directed the PNP and the NBI to conduct a "thorough investigation" into the missing sabungeros (cockfighting aficionados) and submit the result of their findings to the President and the Department of Justice within 30 days.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. was also ordered to investigate alleged e-sabong license infractions. E-sabong licensees which are not under investigation were allowed to continue operating.
