3 cops disguised as NBI agents indicted for e-sabong exec's kidnapping, robbery

MANILA — Department of Justice prosecutors have indicted 3 Laguna policemen for robbery and the abduction of a missing e-sabong executive, the agency said on Monday.

PSSG Daryl Paghangaan, Pat. Roy Navarete and Pat. Rigel Brosas, all from the Calabarzon police office, are accused of pretending to be National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents who stormed the house of Ricardo Lasco on Aug. 30, 2021, on the pretense of arresting him for alleged large scale estafa, according to a press briefer released by the DOJ.

Lasco is a WPC Online Sabong master agent, who has since remained missing.

The officers also allegedly took with them several valuables including luxury watches, jewelry and a vault containing cash, amounting to a total of around P10 million, according to the complaints filed by Lasco’s partner Princess Montanez.

Montanez was with her mother Gilda and sister Elaine and cousin Honey when the incident happened in Lasco’s home in San Pablo, Laguna. They all claimed losing valuables during the raid.

The complainants identified the 3 policemen based on photos shown to them by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Special Investigation Task Group Sabungero (CIDG-SITG Sabungero).

Prosecutors rejected the officers’ defense that they were somewhere else when the crime happened.

However, the complaints against PLt. Henry Sasaluya and PMSG Michael Claveria were dismissed due to lack of probable cause.

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This is the first resolution on the missing sabungeros or cockfighting enthusiasts to be released by the DOJ.

Several other complaints involving around 30 other missing sabungeros are still pending.

The DOJ resolution was dated Nov. 25 but was only announced on Monday.

• Kin of missing sabungeros still hoping they're alive
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