Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors have dismissed one of many complaints concerning the lacking sabungeros.
In a decision, the DOJ dismissed the grievance for kidnapping and severe unlawful detention towards farm supervisor Julie Patidongan over the alleged detention of Michael Bautista on account of an absence of possible trigger to assist the submitting of fees in court docket.
Bautista’s spouse and brother Ryan beforehand recognized him as the person in a video being handcuffed outdoors a cockfighting enviornment in Santa Cruz, Laguna. The video was taken on April 28, 2021.
Ryan Bautista additionally alleged that one of many two males holding his brother was Patidongan.
However, the DOJ stated that no personnel from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) made a sworn assertion on the supply of the video or its certainty.
“Complainant PNP-CIDG had all the opportunity to establish the authenticity or identify the person who owned or took the said video footage or that it was free from any alteration, manipulation, and tampering,” it stated.
The DOJ additionally stated that the PNP-CIDG didn’t submit further proof.
“While this office does not put much weight on the denials and allegations of respondent Patidongan, we find that complainants failed to present proof to establish that there exists probable cause against the respondent,” it stated.
“This office cannot base the filing of a charge for a serious offense against any person on news reports or unverified video footage. Complainant PNP-CIDG should establish with clarity the allegations in the witnesses’ statements and specify the video footage being referred to by the witnesses,” it added.
According to the DOJ, although Bautista’s household might determine him by way of his clothes, mannerisms, and stature, the identical can’t be stated concerning the identification of Patidongan as one of many males who took Bautista.
The DOJ additional stated that the complainant’s witness, Ronald Reyes, did not attend and reaffirm his affidavit through the preliminary investigation.
However, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stated the prosecutors mustn’t have dismissed the grievance for the PNP’s failure to authenticate.
“We can still do something about it, but I will talk to them about it. Kasi nga, hindi pu-puwede na sasabihin namin na… may kulang ang pulis hindi namin ifa-file,” he stated in an ambush interview.
(We can nonetheless do one thing about it, however I’ll discuss to them about it. We can not simply determine that as a result of the police lacked one thing, we’ll now not file the case in court docket.)
“Dapat ‘yung pulis tinuturuan din namin kung ano ang gagawin para maging tama ang kanilang ginagawa,” he added.
(The prosecutor should have taught the police what to do.)
“Ang DOJ at saka ang police magkasama na sa paggawa ng lahat. I-authenticate na lahat yan. ‘Yan kasi parang adversarial pa ‘yung nangyari… sa old system yan eh. That’s what we’re making an attempt to right sooner or later. Yan ang problema talaga,” he stated.
(The DOJ and the police will work collectively on every little thing. Everything have to be authenticated. Because what occurred appears adversarial… it is from the outdated system. That’s what we’re making an attempt to right sooner or later. That is the issue.)
He additionally requested the household of Bautista to not fear.
“Wag magaalala kasi hindi kami tumitigil. Ito ay isa lang sa mga nangyayari talaga sa mga kaso pero ngayon kasi pinapanood pa namin ang bawat galaw. Kaya mabuti na lang na nandyan tayo at iaayos natin, iwa-wasto natin ang mali,” he stated.
(Don’t fear, as a result of we won’t cease. This is one thing that occurs in some circumstances, however proper now we’re monitoring each motion. It’s good that we’re right here, and we’ll repair this. We will right what’s mistaken.) —VBL, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
