Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing on missing cockfight aficionados chaired by Senator Ronald Dela Rosa (front, center) (Photo courtesy of Sen. Dela Rosa Facebook) MANILA - The Senate will continue to find ways to locate the missing sabungeros (cockfight aficionados) and the families can trust the government to do its work. During the third hearing of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on Monday, chair Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said there are crooks everywhere but not everyone in the government is like them. One of those who participated in the probe was Princess Montanes-Lasco, wife of missing breeder and online agent Ricardo "Jon Jon" Lasco Jr. The 44-year-old sabungero was reportedly abducted at their house in Barangay San Lucas 1, San Pablo City, Laguna on Aug. 30, 2021 by 15 armed men who posed as law enforcers. The wife said they continue to be harassed by anonymous callers and shunned by friends following the abduction. "Huwag po kayo mawalan ng pag-asa. Kaya nga tayo nag-iimbestiga dito para mabigyan ng hustisya yung mga nawala na mahal sa buhay. Huwag kayo matakot. Iyong mga tao na nasa likod ng pagkawala ng mga mahal sa buhay. May buhay rin yan (Do not lose hope in our investigations here. We will give justice to your missing kin. Do not be afraid. Even the persons behind the disappearances are human, too)," Dela Rosa said. Dela Rosa said even if they suspect Philippine National Police members as the brains behind the disappearance of at least 30 men in Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, and Batangas, they do not represent the entire government. "Hindi po sila ang buong gobyerno. Meron pa rin part ng gobyerno na maasahan ninyo (They are not the government. There are men in the government you can still trust)," he told the families. Senate President Vicente Sotto III endorsed a proposal to place the families under the Witness Protection Program. Charlie "Atong" Ang, vice president of Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc. which runs online sabong(e-sabong) Pitmaster Live, claimed a well-funded campaign to smear his reputation. He promised assistance to the victims and said violence is not part of his business plan. "Ayoko ng dahas-dahas (I don't like violence)," Ang said. Two witnesses, Denmark Sinfuego and Alvin Indon, testified during the hearing that they saw security personnel of Manila Arena in Sta. Ana district and policemen abduct at least six in January. Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Eliseo Cruz told the hearing that they will file kidnapping and serious illegal detention cases against eight suspects. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) refused to suspend the license to operate of e-sabong operators and immediately stop all activities related to the game until the cases of the missing individuals are resolved. "We have to move on and we should not be distracted toward our main objective of this hearing which is to locate or possibly recover the living or bodies of these 34 missing persons," Dela Rosa said. (PNA) }