The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz for allegedly fabricating a case against a whistleblower linked to the disappearance of several “sabungeros” (cockfight enthusiasts).
Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan announced the decision Thursday, citing grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer. The suspension stems from a complaint filed by whistleblower Ellakim Patidongan, who accused Macapaz of obstructing the investigation into the missing sabungeros case.
“The preliminary evidence and factual allegations supporting the request for preventive suspension point to a level of involvement that satisfies the threshold of ‘serious or grave’ charges and strong evidence of guilt,” the resolution stated.
According to Napolcom’s Investigation Service, Macapaz allegedly seized the mobile phones of Ellakim and his brother, Jose, during their arrest and refused to return them despite repeated requests. He was also accused of deleting messages from the devices, altering key evidence, and obstructing justice in one of the country’s most controversial unresolved cases.
Macapaz denied tampering with any evidence, saying he only facilitated the Patidongan brothers’ return to the Philippines from an undisclosed Southeast Asian country. He said he will formally answer the accusations before Napolcom.
The commission clarified that the preventive suspension “is not a penalty, but a protective and procedural measure intended to preserve the integrity of the investigation.”
Calinisan also revealed that four more active police officers, including a general, are being investigated based on another witness’s statements.
“Lahat po ng tao ay hindi po exempt sa imbestigasyon… basta po ay involved sa missing sabungeros case, we will look into it,” Calinisan said.
The case involves the disappearance of at least 34 cockfighting enthusiasts between 2021 and 2022, which remains one of the most high-profile unresolved investigations in recent years.