THE Department of Justice (DOJ) last night said a white sack containing what appeared to be burned human bones was found yesterday during the initial technical site assessment at Taal Lake, as divers from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) prepare to start today the underwater search and retrieval operations of the bodies of “sabungeros” or cockfighting enthusiasts who were supposedly killed and dumped at the lake.
“This was during what was only supposed to be a preliminary inspection. However, a white sack was visibly identified and recovered from the lake bed,” DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano said.
Clavano said the bones will undergo forensic examination either by the National Bureau of Investigation or the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to determine if the remains are indeed human.
He said that once the remains are found to be human bones, authorities will conduct DNA testing to determine if there is a match with any of the families of the missing sabungeros.
“This discovery could represent a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation. 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,” Clavano said in a message to reporters Thursday night.
He said authorities have started the surface survey and site assessment of Taal Lake as part of the preparation for the PCG’s technical diving exploration, which will start today.
Earlier on Thursday, the PCG said it has dispatched equipment and personnel at the Taal Lake in Batangas in preparation for the search and retrieval diving operations.
PCG Southern Tagalog commander Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla said that on Wednesday night, the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog (CGDSTL) started establishing staging areas and propositioning assets and personnel preparatory to the diving operation.
“We have equipment in place and we have initially established staging areas,” he said.
He also said that they have finalized specific actions that frogmen from the PCG’s Special Operations Group will undertake during the underwater operations.
Tuvilla said the PCG on Thursday conducted an “ocular and some survey” of Taal Lake’s waters starting from Talisay, one of the towns bordering the lake, as part of their preparations.
“We have already seen the area and definitely starting (Friday), we will do the diving. We did surface search (Thursday),” he also said.
During the “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” public briefing, PCG spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab said the PCG, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group conducted “environment assessment” in the vicinity of Taal Lake last Wednesday.
“As of now, we are in the stage of mobilizing our equipment. Our advanced technologies like unmanned aerial vehicle and remotely operated vehicle will help to ensure the safety and efficient use of our resources,” said Cayabyab.
In a later radio interview, Cayabyab said PCG divers conducted yesterday a “site assessment” in coordination with the DOJ and PNP.
In a statement, the PCG said 33 technical wreck divers have been assigned to the diving mission, 11 of whom were already at the site as of yesterday afternoon.
It also said that it has made available remotely operated vehicles and unmanned aerial vessels for the operation.
Tuvilla vowed that the PCG will do everything to search for the remains of the sabungeros.
“We will do everything that we can. This is something that we want to give to the loved ones of the missing personalities natin,” he said.
Suspect-turned-whistleblower Julie Patidongan, or alias Totoy, has told government investigators that the sabungeros, who were abducted from 2021 to 2022, have been killed and buried in the Taal Lake.
Patidongan pointed to gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang as the alleged mastermind in the case. Ang has denied the allegation, and filed a P300 million extortion case against Patidongan before the Mandaluyong City Prosecutors Office.
‘CHALLENGING’
DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano yesterday said the search for the missing sabungeros in Taal Lake faces daunting challenges even as he vowed that authorities will not leave any stone unturned in its effort to get to the bottom of the case.
Clavano said the search will not be easy due to the many challenges, including the lake’s vastness, water condition and the passage of time.
“What are the challenges? Along with the condition out there, we are also challenged by the depth of the water and out equipment has to reach the lake bed,” he said.
He said that due to the vastness of the lake – 234 square kilometers – authorities have to focus their search in a specific area, including the “fishpond” area which authorities could be the “ground zero.”
“We will be doing a technical site assessment wherein we check and assess the waters where we do the search. We do not expect that our coast guard divers will immediately do the dive as they will check first the water condition, if it’s clear or murky, and the depth since we are told the lake’s depth stood at around 30 meters,” he also said in Filipino.
Clavano said authorities are hopeful that despite the challenges, the search will eventually turn up the remains of the sabungeros.
“And we hope we that we can find something that will, at least, lead us in the right direction,” he added.
MORE CHARGES
Meanwhile, more family members of the missing sabungeros went to the CIDG office in Camp Crame yesterday to file complaints against the people involved in the disappearance of their loved ones.
Charlene Lasco, sister of master agent Ricardo Lasco, said she decided to file the complaint as she note that the government seemed determined to bring justice to the victims.
Lasco expressed gratitude to the DOJ, the PNP and other agencies for their continuing efforts to retrieve the remains of their loved ones.
Alias Myrna, a mother of one of the missing sabungeros, said it will be hard for her to accept if his son is already dead.
“We can do nothing about it. But if he is still alive, please return him to us,” she said.
Clavano said that while Patidongan has provided evidence and leads that have helped the authorities in the investigation, the DOJ is not relying on him alone.
“Ito po ay resulta ng impormasyon na nakuha natin hindi lang kay alias Totoy kundi sa iba pang credible informants na lumapit sa atin (These are information that we gathered not only from alias Totoy but other credible informants who have come to us). We do not want to leave any stone unturned,” he said.
“May mga lumabas ding locals adding information to what we have (Other locals have also given us additional information),” he added. – With Victor Reyes
