Case of missing sabungeros: Human skull found in Taal Lake

MANILA, Philippines — A human skull has been found in Taal Lake as authorities scoured the area for the remains of dozens of missing sabungeros or cockfight enthusiasts.

“One set of skeletal remains was found, including a human skull with upper teeth,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said yesterday.

Remulla is hoping that the remains have enough DNA for identification.

“We can see that the testimony of the witness is reliable; that the bodies of murdered sabungeros were dumped in the lake,” Remulla said.

Whistle-blower Julie Patidongan has claimed that over 100 cockfight enthusiasts were killed and buried in Taal Lake.

Authorities have been searching for 34 missing sabungeros since 2021.

Taal Lake could have been turned into a dumping site during the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, Remulla said.

Suspects in the disappearance of sabungeros could also be involved in drug war killings, he said earlier.

Probers are completing the affidavits and complaints might be filed soon, Remulla said.

Administrative raps

Over half of 12 police officers charged in the case of missing sabungeros had faced administrative complaints, according to the police Internal Affairs Service (IAS).

Authorities are still assessing if the suspects’ resolved cases are connected to the disappearance of sabungeros, IAS inspector general Brigido Dulay said yesterday.

“We haven’t matched those records to the sabungeros’ case. But based on the volume and context, we doubt that the previous cases were directly related,” Dulay said.

Twelve police officers are facing administrative charges filed by the National Police Commission over the kidnapping and disappearance of sabungeros.

Dulay cautioned against relying solely on extrajudicial statements following claims made by Patidongan.

“As a lawyer, I personally believe it’s difficult to start from that kind of statement unless it is formalized into an affidavit. Statements not made under oath carry less weight,” Dulay pointed out.

On Tuesday, Remulla announced that a new witness would come forward to bolster Patidongan’s credibility.–  Mark Ernest Villeza