Retrieval ops find sack of bones in ‘missing sabungeros’ search inspection
Joseph Azil Buena
Amid initial search operations for the unsolved case of missing “sabungeros” (cockfight enthusiasts), authorities recovered a white sack containing suspected burnt bones during a technical dive inspection in Taal Lake, Batangas, on July 10.
The inspection was conducted to identify possible resting sites of the missing individuals, who were allegedly dumped in the lake, according to a whistleblower in the case.
In a press release, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said the visibly identified remains were recovered from the lake bed in coordination with the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Batangas police chief Geovanny Emerick Sibalo also confirmed that the sack was found about 10 meters from the shoreline of the lakeside in Laurel, Batangas.
The DOJ said the remains will undergo forensic examination by either the PNP-CIDG or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to confirm whether they are human.
This will be followed by DNA testing to determine matches with families of the missing individuals.
“This discovery could represent a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation,” the DOJ said.
“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,” they added.
The discovery came just hours into the first day of the ocular inspection on July 10, part of the search-and-retrieval operations for the “sabungeros” who were allegedly abducted in 2021.
“This is not a dive operation yet—we’re here to assess if it's safe and feasible. We want to ensure all leads are properly validated,” DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV explained.
Full diving operations are set to begin on July 11.
The case has resurfaced in public discourse since June, after new claims by whistleblower Julie Patidongan, alias “Totoy,” a self-confessed middleman and suspect in the 2021 abduction case.
In several interviews, Patidongan claimed that more than a hundred “sabungeros”—rather than the official count of 34 missing—were killed over cheating allegations in cockfighting events.
He said the victims were executed, tied to sandbags, and dumped in a fish farm area in Taal Lake.
Patidongan also accused businessman Atong Ang of being a mastermind behind the killings and linked him to actress Gretchen Barretto.
Both Ang and Barretto have publicly denied the allegations.
Earlier, Clavano said that the ongoing intensified search is the result of multiple testimonies from Patidongan and other credible informants who have recently come forward.
“This is a result of information we’ve gathered not only from alias ‘Totoy’ but also from other credible informants who have approached us. This is a crucial step in the investigation,” Clavano said.