Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said on Thursday that he is willing to reopen the Senate investigation into the disappearance of several cockfighting enthusiasts—known as sabungeros—if a new resolution is filed in the Senate and referred to his committee.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Dela Rosa previously led the 2022 investigation into the missing sabungeros, many of whom were allegedly involved in traditional and online cockfighting. At the time, he said the Senate had completed its inquiry and turned the matter over to the Philippine National Police (PNP) for further investigation.
However, in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Dela Rosa said he has heard of another senator planning to file a resolution. “If that resolution is assigned to my committee, I will reopen the investigation,” he stated.
This comes after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla connected the suspects in the sabungeros case to individuals involved in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. Malacañang has since called for a thorough reinvestigation.
Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, one of the accused, recently claimed that the victims were killed shortly after their abduction, with their bodies dumped in Taal Lake. He named businessman Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto as being involved—an accusation both deny.
Back in 2022, Dela Rosa said the Senate panel found no solid evidence linking Ang to the disappearances, focusing instead on Patidongan, who was last seen with the victims.
Dela Rosa noted that the CIDG only filed charges of serious illegal detention and kidnapping—not murder—against the suspects. He expressed disappointment that Patidongan did not make his recent claims during the original Senate hearings, as doing so then would have given more weight to his statements and avoided suspicions of ulterior motives.
Despite the timing, Dela Rosa said Patidongan still retains some credibility.