Authorities spotted skeletal remains, possibly belonging to one of the missing “sabungeros” or cockfighting enthusiasts, in the Taal Lake in Laurel, Batangas on Thursday afternoon, July 10.
The bones were discovered, stuffed in a sack, in an area where the cockfighters’ bodies were allegedly taken, according whistleblower alias “Totoy,” now known as Julie Patidongan.
While CALABARZON Police Office Director PBGEN Jack Wanky confirmed the news to reporters in Camp Crame, the remains are yet to undergo examination to ascertain they are human bones.
Among those who retrieved the sacks of bones were Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel, led by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The DOJ oversaw a technical site assessment in the area alongside the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), wherein personnel evaluated the depth and clarity of the water, as well as the underwater terrain of the lake, among other factors.
The assessment—although carried out to determine the safety and feasibility of the search and retrieval operations set for Friday—led to the recovery of the sack containing burned human bones, confirmed the Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
“This was during what was only supposed to be a preliminary inspection. However, a white sack was visibly identified and recovered from the lakebed,” the DOJ said in a statement released Thursday evening.
Subsequently, the agency will have either the CIDG or National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conduct a forensic examination of the bones, followed by DNA testing to determine whether the bones belong to any of the missing cockfighters.
This article has been updated.
