SENIOR Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon on Friday said six of the accused in the disappearance of six missing sabungeros have been allowed to post bail by the Manila Regional Trial Court
Fadullon said that bail was set at P3 million each—P500,000 for each case of missing person—for accused Julie Patidongan, Gleer Codilla, Mark Carlo Zabala, Virgilio Bayog, Johnny Consolacion, and Roberto Matillano Jr.
The six are facing six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention over the disappearance of sabungeros John Claude Inonog, Rondel Cristorum, Mark Joseph Velasco, Rowel Gomez, and brothers James Baccay and Marlon Baccay.
The sabungeros left Tanay, Rizal at 1 p.m. on January 13, 2022, to go to the Manila Arena but were forced to board a gray van at around 7:30 p.m.
According to Fadullon, the prosecution was unable to prove three out of four elements that are needed to show if an individual was kidnapped or illegally detained.
“Kasi ang huling alam lamang ng testigo is that nakita niyang sinasakay doon sa loob ng mga van. At nung tinanong sila kung may pumwersa, pananakot, o sila ay tinutukan habang ito ay ginagawa, wala naman daw silang nakita na ganon,” he said in an ambush interview.
He said the court also gave weight to the families’ withdrawal from the case.
“Mabigat ‘yung pag urong kasi parang lalabas doon sila naman ‘yung mga principal complaints, sila ‘yung merong magulang doon na nakausap habang nangyayari ‘yung insidente,” he said.
“So naturally kung halimbawang iuurong nila, ibig sabihin non hindi na rin magsasalita, hindi na rin tetestigo, yung mga kamaganak na iyon,” he added.
He said the prosecution may still file a motion for reconsideration, but this will not stop the bail process of the accused.
Fadullon said the next hearing in February will be for the prosecution’s presentation of evidence.
