Police investigators are looking into the possibility that a group of financiers involved in game-fixing in online cockfighting or “sabong” may have been behind the case of 31 missing cockfighters or “sabungeros”
This developed following the testimony of Geralyn Magbanua during last week’s Senate hearing conducted by Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate Committee on Peace and Order and Dangerous Drugs.
Magbanua is the wife of Manny Magbanua, one of the 31 missing sabungeros.
A member of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), requesting anonymity, said they are zeroing on the possibility that a big syndicate involved in game-fixing or “panto-type” in the online sabong may have been behind the sudden disappearance of the ‘sabungeros’.
Officially, the police have refused to comment on the theory, as well as on Mrs. Magbanua’s testimonies.
During her testimony in the Senate, Geralyn revealed that on January 12, 2022, a certain Julius Javillo, said to be the owner of Tanay breeding farm where her husband works as a handler, had asked her husband to handle the breeder’s cocks in a cockfight in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
Earlier, Sta. Cruz Municipal Police Station chief Lt. Col Paterno Domondon said they are looking for Javillo and two others identified only as Marvin and Hanna to possibly shed light on the case of at least four of those missing sabungeros that include Magbanua.
“Ang pinagtataka ko lang po walang gustong sumama kahit isa sa mga tauhan sa farm kaya napilitan po siyang sumama pa rin sa Sta. Cruz, Laguna,” Geralyn told Sen. Dela Rosa.
Geralyn also told Dela Rosa that she is of the opinion that the owner of the Tanay breeding farm may have a hand in the sudden disappearance of her husband.
“Tingin ko po parang siya (Javillo)…kasi siya po ang financier at amo na nag-aano sa mga tauhan,” Geralyn said.
According to Mrs Magbanua, her husband was with Marvin Flores, who also works in the farm, in that cockfighting event in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
Flores has also gone missing.
Geralyn also told the hearing that Javillo did not proceed to the Sta. Cruz event.
Police tried to check the whereabouts of Javillo, but could not locate him anymore.