TANDAG CITY (MindaNews / 08 November) – Julie Patidongan, the key whistleblower in the high-profile “missing sabungeros” case, has denied accusations of threatening News5 reporter Gary de Leon, calling the claims “baseless” and “a smear meant to destroy my name.” Patidongan, from Surigao del Sur, responded to reports that the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) was investigating the alleged threat. He stated, “There is no truth to the allegations. I simply chose not to answer further questions about a case that is still being heard.” Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr., PTFoMS executive director, confirmed no complaints had been received from de Leon, adding, “We are still waiting for Gary de Leon to contact us to initiate an investigation.” Reports claim the controversy began on October 27 when de Leon sought Patidongan’s comments for a follow-up story, with Patidongan insisting, “Di na sana ako sasagot. Mali na yung tinatanong niya, mali na yung gusto niyang palabasin. Gusto nila akong sirain!” (I no longer wanted to answer. What he was asking about was wrong, what he wanted to prove was wrong. They wanted to destroy me!) He accused de Leon of asking misleading questions and lost trust in the reporter, urging fairness for the families of the missing sabungeros. Patidongan challenged de Leon to provide proof of any threat, vowing to protect his reputation as a whistleblower. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemned the reported threat, highlighting the dangers faced by journalists and calling for swift investigations into such incidents. The “missing sabungeros” case involves the disappearances of at least 34 cockfighting enthusiasts between April 2021 and January 2022, with Patidongan alleging the victims were strangled and dumped in Taal Lake. The Department of Justice is investigating the case. (Queenie Casio/MindaNews)
