Gretchen, Atong, and the Missing Sabungeros: When ‘Cheating’ Costs More Than a Bet

Partial Motion for Reconsideration: The Families’ Last-Ditch Plea Against Celebrity Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Cards

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 7, 2026

MGA ka-kweba, fellow Filipinos tired of the endless drama of the powerful—welcome back to Kweba ni Barok. It’s January 2026, and while others are still nursing their New Year hangovers, the families of the missing sabungeros are fighting once more. On January 5, they filed a partial motion for reconsideration with the Department of Justice (DOJ), demanding that the “big fish” who were let off the hook in December—among them Gretchen Barretto, Atong Ang’s children, and other members of the “Alpha Group”—be dragged back into the net.

A desperate Hail Mary? Absolutely. But a necessary stand against a system that always shows two faces: swift against the poor, glacially slow and endlessly forgiving toward the rich and connected.

Come with me as we tear open this web—not just the facts, but the stomach-churning truth lurking behind them.

***“Proof you can drown a scandal faster than a sabungero—just add celebrity feathers.”***

The Web of Conspiracy: From Arenas to Taal Lake

Picture this: ordinary cockfighting enthusiasts—sabungeros—vanishing between 2021 and 2022. Accused of “cheating” in the game: match-fixing, sleight-of-hand. Then, according to whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, they were abducted, taken to secret detention sites, and… killed. There was even a “vote,” he claims, on their fate during meetings of the “Pitmaster Alpha Group”—Angelito Guerra, Tady Pala, Joey delos Santos calling the shots, deciding to “eliminate” them.

The “security facilitators”? Police officers like retired Col. Jonnel Estomo and Col. Jacinto Malinao Jr.—allegedly giving advice to kill, providing protection in exchange for rewards, and present during the actual abductions. The “subduers”—Ronquillo Anding, Roberto Matillano, and others—did the dirty hands-on work. Then the “civilian accessories”—mere hangers-on, apparently, but always tagging along with the bosses.

And the grotesque punchline? The remains were allegedly dumped in Taal Lake—a beloved tourist spot now littered with hundreds of human bones recovered in 2025. The irony is sickening: while families picnic on the shore, the skeletons of innocent sabungeros judged in a kangaroo court by gambling lords may be submerged just beneath the surface.

Was this a tightly run criminal enterprise? Or a messy, opportunistic tangle held together by money, power, and fear? Patidongan insists there was conspiracy under Article 8 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC)—everyone in agreement. Yet the DOJ in December indicted Atong Ang and 21 others but dismissed charges against Barretto and company as “speculative and uncorroborated.” No direct evidence they gave orders or knew specifics. Mere presence at meetings? Not enough for conspiracy.

Rhetorical question: If there really was a “vote” on executions, where are the recordings, documents, or independent witnesses? Or are potential witnesses simply too terrified to speak?

Legal Labyrinth & Judicial Farce

Here’s where it hurts most: the law itself.

The families want charges for the special complex crime of kidnapping with homicide under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) (kidnapping and serious illegal detention aggravated by homicide), complexed under Article 48 (complex crimes). When homicide results from detention, the penalty is reclusion perpetua to death.

Conspiracy requires overt acts and unity of purpose. The prima facie standard in preliminary investigation asks: is there enough evidence for conviction if unrebutted? For Ang, the DOJ said yes—Patidongan reportedly answered directly to him. For Barretto? Just an allegation she was present and “raised her hand.” No proof of intent or active participation.

Was the December dismissal a sound evidentiary call or a cowardly retreat to avoid media storms and political pressure? The families’ partial motion for reconsideration is a desperate attempt to connect the dots. But precedents like People of the Philippines v. Pingol (G.R. No. 219243, Nov. 4, 2020) remind us: guilt by association is not enough. The case also brushes against Republic Act No. 10353 (Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012), which criminalizes enforced disappearances.

On the ethical front: if police were truly involved, it violates the Philippine National Police (PNP) Code of Conduct (respect for human rights) and Republic Act No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees). Prosecutors are supposed to be impartial, not afraid of backlash. Yet here we see what looks like selective justice—go after the small fry and middlemen, but spare the celebrity and the elite.

The Grand Theatre of Arguments: Justice vs. Impunity

Stage left: the families. “This is a syndicate of power!” they cry. If Patidongan’s account holds up, it paints a damning picture—widespread conspiracy, police as enablers, elites as decision-makers. Letting Barretto and others walk? Classic elite impunity. A mockery of victims’ rights. They deserve closure, not half-measures.

Stage right: the accused, especially Barretto’s camp (already cleared) and Ang’s (indicted but fighting back). “This is a witch hunt!” Media-driven, built on a dubious whistleblower with a history of alleged extortion. Where is the direct evidence? Guilt by association only—because they were in the business or at meetings. A violation of due process. Is the DOJ being manipulated for headlines?

Who wins this drama? Truth, we hope. But in the Philippines, impunity often takes home the trophy.

Options, Endgames, and Stakes

This is a chessboard, friends.

For the families: beyond the partial motion for reconsideration, they can file a petition for certiorari in the Court of Appeals if the DOJ commits grave abuse of discretion. Civil suits for damages (wrongful death, enforced disappearance under RA 10353). Media campaigns, appeals to international human rights bodies.
For the accused like Barretto (cleared) and Ang (indicted): counter-affidavits, motions for reconsideration, attempts at bail (though kidnapping with homicide is non-bailable), media leverage for sympathy.

Possible endings? A landmark trial convicting the powerful—keep dreaming. A slow death by technicalities. A tainted plea bargain for lesser charges. Or a whitewash if evidence weakens.

Or stalemate: another cold case while bones wait in Taal Lake.

The Corrosive Impact: A Nation’s Trust on Trial

This isn’t just about sabungeros. It’s a stress test for our justice system.

Can it hold the powerful accountable, or will it once again prove the existence of two-tiered justice—swift for the poor, forgiving for the wealthy? If police acted as “facilitators,” what meaning does their badge still carry? Protectors or hired guns for syndicates?

For society: what does it say about our culture when gambling disputes are settled by abduction? In a country haunted by echoes of enforced disappearance, this is a reminder that an ordinary life is disposable when money and connections are in play.

The ultimate stakes: not just closure for families. This is about the Rule of Law—whether it reigns supreme or can itself be “kidnapped” and made to disappear by wealth, celebrity, and institutional cowardice.

The Call to Action: We Will Not Allow Justice to Vanish

Countrymen, the Missing Sabungeros scandal exposes systemic rot: inefficiency, corruption, double standards. Police protecting syndicates, selective prosecutors, courts that drag their feet on high-profile cases.

But let us fight together for balance: the desperate cry for justice from the families and the non-negotiable due process owed to the accused. True justice serves both—it cannot be vengeance masquerading as law, nor impunity disguised as insufficient evidence.

My thunderous call:

A speedy, transparent, credible resolution—NOW. Delay is complicity. The nation is watching.

No celebrity halo, no political connection, no pile of cash should stand taller than the blindfolded Lady Justice.

Concrete recommendations:

To the DOJ: Resolve the partial motion for reconsideration immediately and transparently. Reopen only if solid new evidence emerges; indict only when the case is ironclad. Do not fear the backlash.
To the Courts: Fast-track the case if charges are filed. No unnecessary delays.
To the PNP: Internal cleansing—investigate every implicated officer and enforce the Code rigorously.
To the Legislature: Strengthen anti-enforced disappearance laws, regulate cockfighting and gambling syndicates, mandate robust whistleblower protection.

Let us not grow comfortable in this web. Let us tear it down. For the sabungeros, for the Rule of Law, for our country.