More sacks found in Taal Lake in missing sabungeros search
The Philippine Coast Guard recovered more sacks that may contain human bones at the bottom of Taal Lake on the first day of diving operations in the search for the missing sabungeros.
Over 30 technical divers were deployed on July 11, a day after authorities found a sack containing allegedly burnt human bones in the areas in Laurel, Batangas that whistleblower Dondon Patidongan, alias "Totoy," claimed to be a dumping ground for the missing cockfighters.
Department of Justice Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said, as per GMA News, that the divers found sacks at a lake bed "without having really good visibility."
“We still don’t know what the contents of those sacks are. Very possible din po na ang laman noon ay hindi buto, but we are hoping for the best. Of course, ayaw natin i-sobrang taas yung expectations natin, but the PCG is doing their very best,” Clavano said.
The sack of suspected bones will undergo DNA testing to determine if they are a match with the families of the missing cockfighters. According to a TV Patrol report, relatives of the sabungeros were also at Taal Lake to subject themselves to DNA testing.
"Marami po kasing leads sa kasong ito, so hindi tayo titigil kahit may simultaneous efforts to get the DNA matching," Clavano said.
'No cover up'
During a July 11 press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro vowed that there would be no cover-up in the case.
"Sa pangulo po, dapat po talaga ay masa lamin pa kung ito pong mga natagpuan ay talagang may kinalaman po sa nasabing kaso ng mga missing sabungeros," she said.
"Hindi po ito pababayaan," Castro added. "Tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ang pag-iimbestiga. 'Yan po ang nais ng Pangulo.
Missing sabungeros case
Patidongan tagged businessman Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto as among the persons allegedly behind the abductions of missing cockfighters. 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.
The whistleblower, 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, Patidongan 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. “One hundred percent na may kinalaman siya dahil lagi silang magkasama ni Mr. Atong Ang,” he said.
In response, Ang filed cases against Patidongan and denied the allegations, calling them "entirely false, baseless, and malicious." Barretto also denied involvement.
