Almost a month after hibernating from the news headlines, the missing sabungero case is back in the news following new developments about the incident.

On Thursday (August 28), the National Police Commission disclosed that it imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on the former chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) while undergoing investigation for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

Suspended was former CIDG Director Romeo Macapaz who is facing administrative charges over his suspicious handling of the case of the more than 34 cockfight enthusiasts who disappeared between 2021 and 2022.

Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Commissioner Rafael Calinisan said that the suspension of Macapaz should not be misconstrued as a penalty against him.

Calinisan explained that the preventive suspension imposed on the police officer is just a “protective and procedural measure intended to preserve the integrity of the investigation, prevent any untrue influence or interference in the proceedings and assure the availability of evidence and witnesses.”

“It serves to protect both public interest and the administrative process while allowing the case to bre resolved on its merits in a fair, impartial and expeditious manner,” he pointed out.

In his complaint against Macapaz and several other active and retired policemen, missing sabungero whistleblower Julie Patidongan accused hte former CIDG chief of exerting efforts in obstructing, impeding and frusrating the probe by “unlawfully taking his cellphone, and of his brother Jose Patidongan and refusing to return the same without any valid reason.”

Now the Regional Director of Police Regional Office, Macapaz was also accused of tinkering with the mobile phones and altering messages in them, while concealing the SD cards.

Calinisan said these are considered material evidence in the case.