Sean Emmanuel Florendo

The highly anticipaated premiere of the documentary “Lost Sabungeros,” produced by GMA Public Affairs, has been canceled by the Cinemalaya festival due to security concerns.

Photo Courtesy of GMA Network.

Directed by Bryan Kristoffer Brazil, a veteran executive producer and director at GMA Public Affairs, “Lost Sabungeros” delves into the mysterious disappearance of 30 individuals involved in ‘sabong’ or cockfighting, who went missing in 2021.

“Due to security concerns, the screenings of "Lost Sabungeros" on August 8, 2024 and August 9, 2024 have been canceled,” Cinemalaya announce on Sunday.

The festival's organizers cited security threats as the primary reason, and the film’s crew reported being monitored by unidentified individuals during the production process.

The ‘Lost Sabungeros’ seeks to shed light on the unresolved cases of missing ‘sabungeros,’ who were abducted in a series of incidents in 2021.

Despite an ongoing police police, no substantial leads have been found.

The documentary features testimonies from three whistleblowers who allege knowledge of the individuals responsible for the kidnappings.

The cancellation has intensified public speculation, with many netizens suggesitng possible external interference from those implicated in the disappearances. 

The premiere slot vacated by ‘Lost Sabungeros’ will now be filled by the full-length feature film ‘Balota,’ directed by Kip Oebanda and starring Marian Rivera.

As of writing, there has been no announcement regarding alternative platforms or future screenings for the release of the cancelled documentary.