ACTRESS Gretchen Barretto and other members of the so-called Pitmaster Alpha Group have been cleared of any involvement in the case of the missing ‘sabungeros’ (cockfighting enthusiasts), as the Department of Justice (DOJ) dismissed the complaint filed against them.
In a 120-page joint resolution, the panel of prosecutors stated that the evidence presented against Barretto and the other respondents was “speculative and uncorroborated.” The panel found that there was insufficient evidence to establish their direct involvement in the alleged abductions.
The complaint alleged that Barretto and others were part of the Pitmaster Alpha Group, which purportedly made decisions to “punish” cheating sabungeros. However, the panel of prosecutors found no concrete evidence to support these claims.
“The Patidongan brothers merely alleged that these persons attended meetings where decisions were supposedly made to ‘punish’ cheating sabungeros,” the panel said. “However, there is no showing that they gave direct orders, participated in logistics, or had knowledge of the specific abductions. Their alleged ‘approval’ during meetings was unsupported by any document, recording, or independent witness.”
The panel further explained that even if Barretto and others were present during meetings where crimes were discussed, this did not automatically constitute conspiracy without proof of intent and participation.
As a result, the DOJ dismissed the complaint against the group for lack of merit, “without prejudice should future evidence arise linking them directly to the unlawful detentions.”
Barretto’s camp has welcomed the resolution, reiterating their previous statement that the allegations against her were “unsubstantiated and incredible.”
