GMA docu digs into truth behind unsolved ‘Lost Sabungeros’

CEBU, Philippines — Out of the 34 cockfight enthusiasts who suddenly vanished in 2021 and 2022, GMA Public Affairs’ full-length documentary “Lost Sabungeros” focused on three, based on interviews with their respective families: Ricardo “Jon Jon” Lasco, Edgar Malaca, and John Claude Inonog.

Jon Jon was a rooster breeder and e-sabong (online/remote/off-site wagering on livecockfighting matches) agent who was taken from his home in Laguna by armed men in 2021. In separate incidents the following year, Edgar was nowhere to be seen after attending a cockfight match in Batangas, while John Claude was abducted by armed men en route to the Manila Arena in a van.

There’s an implication that these sabungeros (cockfighters) may have done something that displeased a prominent gambling lord.

Regardless of their different backgrounds and the circumstances of their disappearances, their fates remain the same: their bodies were never found.

Dubbed “the most controversial documentary in 2024,” its original Cinemalaya premiere was canceled due to “security concerns” before making its eventual big-screen debut at the QCinema International Film Festival later that year.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has not reviewed the documentary due to the “sub judice rule,” which prohibits public commentary on ongoing court cases. As a result, the documentary cannot be shown in regular cinemas or on television.

Working around this limitation, the Kapuso network decided to hold school screenings, with Cebu Normal University (CNU) being the first venue in the Visayas to host one on March 28, with the assistance of the CNU Junior Broadcasters Alliance.

At a post-screening talk-back session attended by the film’s director Bryan Brazil, co-director Marco Romas, and producer Joselito Tan, they explained why they chose Jon Jon, Edgar, and John Claude as main subjects.

“Those three cases have strong evidence, including CCTV footage. That’s our primary consideration as filmmakers and producers — who has the strongest material we can feature,” Tan explained.

The filmmakers had featured the story of the lost sabungeros in multiple episodes of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho before realizing they had enough footage to rework it into a full-fledged documentary.

“It wasn’t explosive [on TV] in the same way we did in the documentary, but people were interested, so we thought of doing a full-length docu to flesh out their stories and get to know them more,” said Tan, who is the public affairs show’s program director.

Brazil added: “It would be a disservice as journalists and documentarists if we didn’t help the families by sharing their stories. That is the power of a documentary and why we are doing this.”

Recording families talking about a missing loved one required them to earn their trust and understand the nuance of who the missing men were on a personal level.

“It’s important to see where they come from and maintain that sensitivity when interviewing them in their space,” Brazil told The FREEMAN.

As with any journalistic work, they reached out to all parties involved — including the alleged mastermind behind the disappearances. The documentary states that he declined to comment or be interviewed.

“We have to be balanced. Tell the families’ point of view, the side of the government, and their response to the case. You get to see both sides, but at the end of the day, we can’t help but sympathize with the families who are asking justice,” Tan said.

“Of course, as journalists, we have to be objective, but at the end of the day, we are human, so there is sympathy. We have to feel that so we can see things from their point of view and tell their stories properly,” he added.

Out of the subjects they interviewed, Romas found himself especially attached to the story of Edgar’s sister Ederline and mother Carmen.

“All of the subjects’ stories are equally important, but in my perspective as a son, I found the story of Ederline and Nanay Carmen to be a bit personal because I’m quite a mama’s boy,” Romas said.

Ederline and Carmen were also present at the session, albeit virtually through a Google Meet call from Bulacan. They thanked the filmmakers for featuring their point of view.

“I want to thank them for doing this documentary because it’s a big help for us. We want many people to take notice of our case because we have tried asking the government, yet there is no solution,” Carmen said in Tagalog.

While a few of the families of lost sabungeros decided to withdraw their cases in 2023, Edgar’s family refused to back down.

Ederline revealed that they were offered P1 million to withdraw Edgar’s case, but they declined. “We will not back down. They may see it as money, but we will not put a price on life,” his sister said.

Another crucial subject was an anonymous source — a whistleblower who claims to have first-hand knowledge of what happened to the sabungeros and who was responsible for their disappearances.

“My conscience was bothering me,” the whistleblower explained of why he decided to come forward.

The filmmakers said they verified the whistleblower’s claims, including how the victims allegedly died: by burial, cremation, or even being fed alive to a crocodile.

“Before we do our interviews, we research. Of course, part of our agreement [with the whistleblower] was to conceal their identity and fulfill their other conditions. Before we can share their claims, we make sure to cross-check and verify if the information is reliable,” Tan said.

Carmen, however, remains skeptical of the whistleblower’s claims about how the sabungeros, including her son, died. “I won’t believe it until I see it. We need to see the evidence so we can believe what he’s claiming is true,” she said.

In a news clip featured in the documentary, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told the media they should no longer be called “missing sabungeros,” but rather “dead sabungeros.”

While the anonymous source agreed that they may have died, he emphasized that they should still be considered “missing” because their bodies were never recovered and their families are still searching for them.

Due to the subject’s sensitive nature, Tan assured that the documentary had been vetted by the network before it could be shown to a limited audience.

“We are backed by a big network, including its management. The stories here are factual and have been reviewed by the legal department several times, including the script,” he said.

Should legal repercussions arise, the filmmakers say they are ready with the backing of their network. “If we’re scared to tell the truth, then what are we doing in our job as truth-tellers?” Tan remarked.

Noting that the screenings at CNU are mostly attended by mass communication and political science students, Brazil encouraged them to do their part as storytellers in the pursuit of justice.

“We journalists are not the court, not the government, not the people making policies. We are only storytellers, and we are doing this to document so people can see what’s happening — including those who have the power to make our laws. No need to put too much pressure on yourself. At least do your part as a journalist,” Brazil said.

Romas added, “There is no assurance [of safety], especially in this era when truth-tellers are being targeted. What I can say for now is to stay strong and hold the line. Preserve your integrity in your own little way.” — (FREEMAN)