Barretto cleared in cockfighters’ case

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has dismissed the complaints against celebrity Gretchen C. Barretto in connection with the disappearance of more than two dozen cockfighting enthusiasts, ruling that the allegations lacked evidence.

In a 120-page resolution, prosecutors said claims tying Ms. Barretto and several others to the so-called Pitmaster Alpha Group were “speculative and uncorroborated,” noting that no witness or material proof linked them to the abductions.

Ms. Barretto’s lawyer, Alma Fernandez-Mallonga, welcomed the ruling, saying her client had long maintained she had no involvement in the case. “There is no truth to the accusations. She played no part in the situation of the missing cockfighters,” she said, adding that Ms. Barretto was grateful for the support she received.

The DoJ panel said the complaints should be dismissed for lack of merit, though future charges could still be filed if new evidence emerges connecting any of the respondents to the unlawful detentions. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking