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The number of cockfighting aficionados missing after an online event rose to 29, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said on Wednesday.

In a radio interview, CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro said most of the reported missing cockfighting players are from Calabarzon and Metro Manila.

"In the Manila area, we are investigating three cases," he said.

"Most of (the missing) are involved in the online cockfighting of the Pit master company," he added. Gaming tycoon Atong Ang is said to own the company.

Ferro said as part of the ongoing investigation, the CIDG has coordinated with Ang on February 1."I went to Manila Arena and we asked for an audience from Mr. Atong Ang to clarify issues about his online gaming in Manila Arena," he said.

"I talked with him and I asked for the cooperation of his online cockfighting so that we could get a copy of the CCTV if needed," he added.

Ferro said most of the missing persons took part in online derbies in Batangas, Laguna and the Manila Area in Sta. Ana.

Ferro said despite the increasing number of missing cockfighting aficionados, authorities have not yet filed any cases related to the incidents.

"We do not yet have strong evidence to file any case. We are working on it so that within the end of the month, we are able to file cases against the suspects in the missing cockfighting aficionados,'' said Ferro.

Ferro noted that based on the ongoing investigation, there were cheating incidents related to the missing cockfighting aficionados.

"The commonality here is there was 'double cross', which was called by the cockfighting aficionados as 'tiyope', meaning there was cheating in the game," he said. Robina Asido/DMS