Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 16) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed a complaint of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in the case of Michael Bautista, a sabungero (cockfighter) last seen in April 2021.
The agency said the complainants Ma. Concepcion Bautista, the missing sabungero’s wife; Ryan Bonda Bautista, his brother; and Ronald Santos Reyes failed to present proof to establish probable cause.
Ryan Bautista claimed that he identified Bautista through a video recording and alleged that one of two men in the footage detaining the handcuffed sabungero was Julie Patidongan alias “Dondon,” a farm manager.
The DOJ on Friday said \”none of the faces of the individuals captured in the twelve-second clip, which supposedly depicts the crime taking place, are visible.\”
\”This lack of clear visibility hinders the process of identifying the individuals involved solely based on their appearance,\” it added.
However, last December, the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) released composite sketches depicting Patidongan and one other suspect, and said they were able to identify the suspects through the video.
The department also said a critical witness who presumably had firsthand knowledge of Bautista’s abduction failed to appear before the DOJ panel and affirm the statements he made in his judicial affidavit.
\”This absence weakens the overall evidentiary foundation surrounding the case, making it more challenging to establish a clear and definitive understanding of the events that transpired…the evidence is not sufficient to firmly establish the identity of the person who committed the crime\” it noted.
