MANILA, Philippines — The Patidongan brothers have filed a formal complaint against the former CIDG chief regarding the police handling of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts case. The police official involved claimed that whistleblower Julie Patidongan’s brother, Elakim, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and misunderstood the situation when filing the case before the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Elakim Patidongan accused Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz and officers Lt. Col. Rosell Encarnacion and Capt. Jairus Vincent Concina of attempting to implicate him as the mastermind behind the abduction of at least 34 cockfighting aficionados. However, a police official’s assessment report submitted to Napolcom suggested that Elakim’s accusations stemmed from his mental state following successive traumatic events.
Claims of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
According to the police official, “In my understanding, he was experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder at that time because of successive events in his life.” The official further stated, “The case filed by Mr. Elakim Patidongan… was the result of his own misunderstanding.” The identity of this source was withheld upon request.
Travel and Threats Abroad
The Patidongan brothers, Elakim and Jose, reportedly traveled to Cambodia on an undisclosed date. They were later instructed on July 16 to proceed to Myanmar, allegedly under orders from gaming tycoon Atong Ang, whom they accuse of orchestrating the reported kidnappings and killings.
Elakim claimed that on July 19, while in Phnom Penh, they received a message indicating Ang’s intention to kill both brothers. Fortunately, their associates prevented this. Following a warning from Julie Patidongan, Macapaz facilitated their repatriation on July 22, with Elakim using a passport under the alias “Robert Bautista Baylon.”
Arrests and Investigations Upon Return
Upon their return, Jose was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) based on a prior robbery conviction issued by the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court Branch 208. Meanwhile, Elakim faced investigation for allegedly using a false identity with the alias “Robert Bautista Baylon.”
No Orders to Pin Blame
The police official’s assessment denied any directive from Macapaz or Encarnacion to pin the blame on Elakim for the kidnapping case. The report clarified, “Brig. Gen. Macapaz’s only orders to the investigation team were, first, to obtain an extrajudicial confession from Elakim to identify the principal suspect. Second, to determine who else was involved, especially the names of police officers allegedly implicated in the case.”
Regarding Lt. Col. Encarnacion, the source added, “He only ordered that a case be filed based on the document at hand. Other than that, he gave no unlawful orders.”
Legal Officer’s Role Clarified
Elakim alleged that Capt. Jairus Vincent Concina, a legal officer in the CIDG, admitted the case against him was “weak” but intended to make it appear he was the mastermind. However, the CIDG official explained that Concina was merely presenting legal options since Patidongan’s counsel did not permit him to give a sworn statement.
“Because of this, he [Concina] gave several options and legal opinions to prevent the case from being released for further investigation or dismissed outright,” the official said.
Additional Details and Responses
The affidavit further clarified that the CIDG Detective Special Operations Unit arrested Jose Patidongan upon their arrival. It also confirmed Elakim’s use of the alias “Robert Baylon” in the presence of his legal counsel, Atty. Manuel Ventura.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Patidongan camp remain unanswered as of this writing.
The Patidongans accuse Atong Ang of masterminding the kidnappings and killings. Ang denied these allegations in July, labeling them “entirely false and without basis,” and accused Julie Patidongan of attempting to extort P300 million to avoid being implicated.
Macapaz and the PNP previously stated that the case against the Patidongans was part of the process to include them in the witness protection program. When the complaint was filed last Thursday, Macapaz declined to comment, stating he would respond at Napolcom.
Macapaz was relieved from his post as CIDG chief and appointed director of the Police Regional Office Soccsksargen on July 28. The PNP denied that his reassignment was related to the cockfighting enthusiasts case, citing his experience in intelligence and anti-smuggling efforts in the region.
For more news and updates on missing cockfighting enthusiasts, visit Filipinokami.com.
