MANILA — The Philippine National Police released on Friday the wanted poster of 6 security guards tagged in the disappearance of several sabungeros at the Manila Arena.
The poster indicated a bounty of P1 million for information on the whereabouts of each of the 6 men, who face a recently issued warrant of arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
"Kami ay umaasa na sa pamamagitan ng mga posters na ito at sa impormasyon na magmumula sa ating mga kababayan ay mapapabilis natin na matutunton ang kanilang pinagtataguan at agarang pagkahuli ng mga akusado," said PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr.
(We hope that through these posters and the information that will come from tipsters, we could speed up the search for their hiding place and the immediate arrest of the accused.)
The posters will be distributed nationwide, in all PNP units, places of convergence, social media, and the website of CIDG.
The Manila Arena case is one of the 8 cases being investigated by the CIDG.
At least 34 people are still missing in suspected kidnappings linked to cockfighting around metro Manila.
A Senate investigation found the players were suspected of sabotaging their roosters so they would lose, while secretly betting on their opponents.
Filipinos from all walks of life wager millions of dollars on matches every week between roosters who fight to the death with razor-sharp metal spurs tied to their legs.
The sport, banned in many other countries, survived coronavirus pandemic restrictions by going online, drawing many more bettors who use their mobile phones to place wagers.
The abductions shone a spotlight on the seedy underbelly of the online cockfighting industry, in which fights were held in empty arenas and livestreamed to millions of bettors.
Taxes from the fights helped to replenish government coffers depleted by the pandemic, but then-president Rodrigo Duterte banned the livestreaming shortly before he left office on June 30, while allowing traditional cockfighting to resume.
— With a report from Agence France-Presse