Authorities yesterday recovered a sack containing what appear to be charred human bones near Taal Lake, a development that could be a significant breakthrough in the ongoing search for dozens of missing cockfighting enthusiasts.
The discovery was made as efforts intensified to locate the "sabungeros" who disappeared between 2021 and 2022. The skeletal remains were found along the side of Taal Lake in Laurel, Batangas.
In a separate statement, the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that a joint team from the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), working in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), retrieved a white sack containing the bones.
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Calabarzon Police Chief Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky stated in the "24 Oras" report that the bones were found near the precise location where whistleblower Julie "Dondon" Patidongan claimed the missing individuals were transported before being dumped into Taal Lake. Patidongan has consistently alleged that the victims were buried in the lake.
The DOJ announced that either the CIDG or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will conduct forensic examinations to definitively certify whether the remains are human. Further, DNA testing will be performed to determine if there is a match with any of the families of the missing sabungeros, a crucial step in identifying the victims.
"This discovery could represent a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation," the DOJ stated. "While we proceed with caution and diligence, it offers renewed hope that we are closer to uncovering the truth and securing justice for the families of the missing."
A total of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts have been reported missing from 2021 to 2022. Police investigations have largely pointed to alleged kidnapping due to match-fixing or cheating in cockfighting games as the motive behind their disappearances.
Whistleblower Patidongan has previously named businessman Atong Ang as a mastermind in the case and also linked actress Gretchen Barretto to the disappearances. Both Ang and Barretto have vehemently denied these allegations.
Meanwhile, PCG Chief Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan has directed the Coast Guard Fleet and Coast Guard Aviation Command to utilize remotely operated vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles to support the operation. If weather conditions permit, the PCG is scheduled to begin a comprehensive search of the lake today, Friday, to locate further remains.
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