Malacañang on Friday affirmed the Marcos administration’s commitment to pursuing justice in the case of missing sabungeros, following the discovery of suspected human bones in Taal Lake, Batangas.
Speaking to the press, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro emphasized that the recent developments further highlight the need to identify those responsible for the disappearances and possible killings of cockfighting enthusiasts.
“Sa Pangulo po, dapat po talaga ay mas alamin pa kung ito pong mga natagpuan ay talagang may kinalaman po sa nasabing kaso ng mga missing sabungeros,” Castro said. “At kung ito po ay mapapatunayang talagang konektado, ito’y nagpapakita lamang na ang Pangulo at ang kasalukuyang administrasyon ay tutulong upang makamtan ang hustisya para sa mga biktima.”
She assured the public that there would be no whitewashing of the investigation. “Hindi po ito pababayaan, hindi po magkakaroon ng cover-up, tuluy-tuloy pa rin po ang pag-iimbestiga—iyan po ang nais ng Pangulo,” she added.
The statement comes after authorities recovered a white sack containing suspected charred human bones near the shores of Taal Lake in Laurel, Batangas. The Department of Justice confirmed that the sack was retrieved by the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard.
The DOJ said forensic experts from either the CIDG or the National Bureau of Investigation will determine whether the bones are human and if they are linked to the missing sabungeros.
The high-profile case drew more attention after Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, one of the accused, alleged that the victims’ bodies were dumped in Taal Lake. Patidongan also implicated businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang and actress Gretchen Barreto in the case.
Ang’s camp has since filed multiple complaints against Patidongan, accusing him of extortion and other offenses. The businessman claimed he was being pressured to pay P300 million. Both Ang and Barreto have denied the allegations.
