WHAT LIES BENEATH. Members of the Philippine Coast Guard deploy in the waters of Taal Lake off Talisay town in Batangas province on Thursday ahead of an organized search for the remains of dozens of cockfighting aficionados missing since 2021 to 2022. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has given 12 active police officers five days to file their counter-affidavits in connection with the abduction of cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungeros).

The agency’s Inspection, Monitoring, and Investigation Service served the summons to the officers on Tuesday, a day after whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan (alias Totoy) filed a formal affidavit-complaint against them and six other officers who had already been dismissed.

“They are given five days to submit their counter-affidavits. Failure to do so constitutes a waiver of their rights to submit the same,” Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Rafael Calinisan said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.

“The complaint will then be evaluated [to determine] whether or not it would proceed to a formal charge,” he added.

In a June interview with GMA News, Patidongan claimed that gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang paid several police officers to kidnap and kill sabungeros accused of cheating in the cockfights.

Ang strongly denied the allegations, calling them “entirely false and without basis,” and said the claims were causing “irreparable harm [through] a trial by publicity.”

He also accused Patidongan of attempting to extort P300 million from him in exchange for not implicating him in the abductions.