6 hours ago
2
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Families of missing cockfight players bring the photos of their loved ones as they call for justice at the Commission of Human Rights office in Quezon City on Dec.15, 2022.
STAR / Jesse Bustos
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday urged the whistleblower in the “missing sabungeros” case to formally approach the Department of Justice, following new claims that the bodies of the 34 missing cockfighters were dumped in Taal Lake.
"I will speak to whomever would want to come here to tell the truth,” Remulla said in Filipino an ambush interview on Thursday, June 19. "Because it is in the soul of the Filipino, very much into the question of the Filipino soul, how we can put to rest things that happened to us."
Remulla said the case is still under "case buildup" and that the DOJ currently has five witnesses. He noted that while some suspects have already been charged, others are still out on bail or yet to face formal cases.
Under Department Circular No. 20, “case buildup” refers to ensuring the existence of a prima facie case with reasonable certainty of conviction based on available evidence, including documents, witness testimony, and physical proof.
“We're not stopping that, because this is a social responsibility; it's a responsibility that all Filipinos have, to put the people we love to rest,” he added.
Search efforts at Taal Lake. The justice secretary confirmed that government authorities have deployed technical divers to Taal Lake in Batangas to search for the bodies, based on a new statement from a key witness.
In a GMA News report, a man identified as “Totoy,” who introduced himself as a former security guard at the Manila Arena, said the missing sabungeros were strangled with wire and dumped into Taal Lake. He alleged the victims were “cheaters” in cockfighting but did not name the mastermind behind the killings.
Background: The missing sabungeros
Between April 2021 and January 2022, 34 individuals connected to cockfighting events—including breeders, agents, and players—vanished after attending matches in Laguna, Manila, Batangas, and Bulacan. Some were reportedly abducted from their homes by armed men.
The DOJ, Philippine National Police, and National Bureau of Investigation launched separate probes into the disappearances.
Six security guards from the Manila Arena were identified as suspects and charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention. They were released on bail in 2023 but were ordered rearrested in 2024 by the Court of Appeals, which cited strong evidence of their involvement.
RELATED: DOJ seeks rearrest of 6 suspects in 'missing sabungeros' case
