Police find skeletal remains in Taal amid search for missing sabungeros
The police found skeletal remains in the Taal lakeside area in Batangas amid their search for the missing sabungeros who were allegedly dumped there.
The Philippine STAR reported that the remains were discovered inside a sack in a grassy area by the lake in Laurel town. The bones were dark, though it's still unclear if they're from only one person.
Calabarzon Police Director Jack Wanky said the site was one of the areas that whistleblower Dondon Patidongan, alias "Totoy," claimed as a dumping ground for the missing sabungeros.
Wanky said that based on information provided by Patidongan, police teams led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group went to the site in the morning of July 10 to recover the bones.
“We have not yet confirmed if those are human remains so Laurel police requested for [the Scene of the Crime Operatives] to confirm,” he said.
The bones will be subjected to DNA testing to determine whether they're from any of the missing sabungeros.
Inter-agency search party
The Department of Justice on July 10 launched an inter-agency search party to a fish port in Talisay town.
According to The STAR, Philippine Coast Guard personnel brought rubber boats, rigid hull inflatable boats, oxygen tanks, and other diving equipment, as well as cadaver bags and first aid kits, as early as 2 a.m.
They focused on a fishpond that was allegedly leased by one of the suspects involved in the kidnapping and killing of the sabungeros.
“That is our ground zero from the start,” DOJ Sec. Crispin Remulla told reporters in an earlier interview.
But no actual diving took place—only a technical site assessment in which divers evaluated the water conditions and the weather in the area, per The STAR.
The PCG said search and retrieval operations would begin on July 11, depending on the weather.
Some 33 PGC technical divers will join the search for the missing sabungeros, though the agency has only deployed one-third of them.
The DOJ said the remains of missing sabungeros may still be retrieved from Taal Lake even though it's been years since they were allegedly dumped there.
DOJ Asst. Sec. Mico Clavano said that according to experts, the remains could still be in the area, considering factors such as the lake’s freshwater environment, which can affect the condition of the remains.
“There are some who say we can still find something. Other searches were done in saltwater. There are experts advising us on what we should be looking for,” Clavano told reporters in Talisay.
Clavano said there are also other “credible” informants besides Patidongan who called the place a dumping ground for the missing sabungeros.
“We are confident. We cannot say for certain how confident but it is worth the effort, it is worth looking into. We hope we can find something that will at least lead us in the right direction,” he said.
If they find bodies, Clavano noted it would be “damning evidence” that could lead to the filing of murder charges against the suspects.
“We do hope to see remains that will match the DNA of those missing cockfight enthusiasts,” he said.
Clavano also pointed out that even if no bodies were found, a murder charge can still stand if the fact of death is proven.
“Plan A is definitely to exert all effort to find the remains," Clavano said, "but at the same time even if we do not find [the remains], we still have many options and we can corroborate the statements with hard evidence."
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 another whistleblower, Alan Bantiles, also known as "Brown," who had also tagged him in the case. The complaints filed before the Office of Mandaluyong City Prosecutor include attempted robbery, violence and intimidation, grave threats, grave coercion, and incriminating innocent people.
Ang denied the allegations. "Wala naman kaming history na pumapatay ng tao—paano mangyayari 'yan?" he said in a July 3 press conference.
His camp, in a statement, called the accusations against him "entirely false, baseless, and malicious."
"He categorically and unequivocally denies any involvement in the alleged unlawful, heinous, and criminal acts that have recently been reported and linked to him," it read.
Barretto, through her legal counsel, also denied involvement in the case, noting she "has no relevant knowledge" about the disappearances.
"She did not operate the sabungan, had no participation in e-sabong operations that was suspended more than two years ago, and was merely an investor in the business (one of about 20 investors categorized as alpha members)," her lawyer said. "She attended no meetings where approvals were sought nor given to implement the disappearances. The proposition is so absurd, it is plain invention. Ms. Barretto regrets that she is being crucified without basis, and has become the subject of unsavory speculation based on rumor."
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, meanwhile, said that Barretto and Ang will be included in the list of suspects, and formal cases will be filed against them soon.
"Because they were named, then we will have to include them as suspects,” said Remulla in an interview.
