CIDG: Video shows sabungero’s kidnap    

MANILA, Philippines — Police have obtained what they described as vital evidence in the investigation of the disappearance of 34 cockfight players or sabungeros.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said the evidence is a video that showed how one of the sabungeros, Michael Bautista, was kidnapped.

CIDG director Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee said the cell phone video, filmed by an unnamed individual, showed Bautista in handcuffs and being held by two men.

He added the video was taken outside a cockfighting arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna on April, 28, 2021. A copy of the video was shown on ABS-CBN News.

Bautista’s wife and brother identified him as the one in the video based on his haircut, body build and personal belongings.

“We now hold vital evidence in our probe of the disappearance of the sabungeros,” Lee said in a statement.

Lee said they now have leads on the identities of the two men, but did not disclose other details.

He instructed investigators to coordinate with the Anti-Cybercrime Group to enhance the video to get more leads on the kidnappers’ identities.