Families of ‘Lost Sabungeros’ vow to keep searching for missing kin

“Lost Sabungeros” talkback session on Saturday, Nov. 9, moderated by journalist Kara David. Joining her were relatives of some missing cockfighters or sabungeros. | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista

Family members of missing cockfighting aficionados vowed to continue seeking justice for their loved ones following the QCinema premiere of the controversial documentary “Lost Sabungeros.”

Bryan Brazil’s documentary film “Lost Sabungeros” dwells on the case of 34 cockfighters or sabungeros from different parts of the Philippines who mysteriously went missing around April 2021 to January 2022. In a talkback session after the screening, the family members went emotional as they aired their grievances.

Carmen Malaca, the 75-year-old mother of Edgar Malaca, who disappeared after attending a cockfight in Batangas in 2022, turned into tears as she shared that she almost took her own life because of the pain of losing her son.

“I was very hurt. I almost went crazy. I don’t eat. I don’t sleep. It’s during the pandemic. They don’t want to allow me to do something and to search and go in Lipa, Batangas. So that’s when my brain rebelled. I want to take my own life, so I won’t feel the pain of losing a child again,” she said.

Mrs. Malaca, who’s grateful to have a venue to air their protest, called out the Department of Justice (DOJ) as she stressed that they will not give up on searching for their missing loved ones until they see a body and attain justice.

“If they think that they can drag this on so that we would forget the case, so that we give up or lose hope, no. At my age — I will be 76 — to the end of my breath, I will not give up. I will fight for my son and colleagues who are victims of e-cockfighting. As long as there is someone who will help and sympathize. We will not give up. Until no bodies or bones are seen. The case is still ongoing,” she further said.

Meanwhile, Diane, whose husband was among the missing persons, echoed Carmen’s sentiments.

“For me, this documentary is very important. And I have hope, but if he doesn’t come back, I hope that there will still be justice for his loss. It’s just that we all have the same peace of mind; no matter what happened, we want to know the truth,” she said.

“Lost Sabungeros” previously faced censorship as it was supposed to make its debut at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in August, but its screenings got axed due to “security concerns.”