PNP says no DNA profile can be extracted from bones found in Taal Lake weeks ago amid missing sabungeros search
The Philippine National Police said no DNA profile can be extracted from the bones found in Taal Lake in Batangas weeks ago—amid the search for the missing sabungeros who were allegedly dumped there.
In a press briefing on July 31, PNP spokesperson Jean Fajardo said the bones were likely contaminated as they had been underwater for a long time.
"Ang challenge doon, dahil matagal na nga nakasubmerge, ay medyo wala na tayong na-extract accordingly na DNA profile," Fajardo said.
Bones recovered from a cemetery in Laurel, meanwhile, yielded three DNA profiles.
Fajardo said they belong to two males and a female, but they don't match the 23 DNA samples from the relatives of the missing sabungeros.
Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla on July 30 said a set of skeletal remains that includes a human skull with a set of upper teeth was found in the lake.
He expressed hope that the remains contain sufficient DNA for identification.
On July 28, Remulla said a new witness would come forward to bring "real evidence" that's expected to strengthen the credibility of whistleblower Dondon Patidongan.
Patidongan tagged businessman Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto as among the persons allegedly behind the abductions of missing sabungeros. He accused them, as well as Eric Dela Rosa and Celso Salazar, of being the masterminds in the case of not just 34 but over 100 missing sabungeros.
Patidongan, who said he has been working for Ang for 15 years as the chief of security of his farms and cockfight areas, alleged that Ang is the pit master's chairman. "Siya ang mastermind, at siya ang nag-uutos na talagang iligpit ang mga 'yan," he said in his interview with GMA's 24 Oras.
While he's one of the six accused in the case, he asserted that he was merely following orders from Ang.
He also claimed that Barretto was fully aware of Ang's operations in the cockfight arena.
In response, Ang filed cases against Patidongan and another whistleblower, Alan Bantiles, also known as "Brown," who had also tagged him in the case.
Barretto, through her legal counsel, also denied involvement in the case, noting she "has no relevant knowledge" about the disappearances.
Remulla, at the time, said Barretto and Ang would still be included in the list of suspects, and formal cases would be filed against them soon.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his fourth State of the Nation Address, assured the public that the government is working to solve the case of the missing sabungeros.