Latest news with #JuliePatidongan
Daily Express
4 days ago
- Daily Express
DNA testing on Taal Lake bones
Published on: Saturday, July 12, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jul 12, 2025 By: ABS CBN News Text Size: Members of the Philippine Coast Guard deploy in the waters of Taal Lake off Talisay town in Batangas province on Thursday ahead of an organized search for the remains of dozens of cockfighting aficionados missing since 2021 to 2022. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA MANILA: The Department of Justice confirmed the retrieval of a sack containing what appears to be burnt human bones in Taal Lake during the initial search for the missing cockfight enthusiasts. In a statement, the DOJ said the remains were visibly identified and recovered from the lake bed. 'This discovery could represent a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation,' the DOJ said. The DOJ emphasized that the operations was supposedly a 'technical site assessment' by the Philippine Coast Guard. But with the discovery, the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group or the National Bureau of Investigation will have to certify if the remains are indeed from a human being. DNA testing will also be conducted to determine if there is a match with any of the families of the missing individuals. '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,' the DOJ said. 'It was only a few meters from the shore. A CIDG team that was stationed on the lake shore, acting on information on where the possible jump-off point was, found the white sack not far from the shore. The DOJ and PCG teams were about 100 meters out and used a smaller boat to reach the shore to see what they had found.' 'The team decided to verify first whether it was human bones or not before releasing info. When CIDG made the determination, that was when we were comfortable to release the information,' the DOJ said. Authorities recovered the sack during the retrieval operations for the remains of missing cockfight enthusiasts (sabungero) allegedly dumped in Taal Lake, Batangas. Police Col. Geovanny Emerick Sibalo, provincial director of the Batangas police, told ABS-CBN News the sack was discovered about 10 meters from the shoreline. Julie Patidongan, one of the accused and a potential whistleblower in the case, earlier told media that over 100 victims were executed and dumped in the lake over suspicions of cheating in cockfight games. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Possible "significant breakthrough" in search for dozens of people allegedly killed by rogue Filipino police officers
Search teams began scouring a lake south of the Philippine capital Manila on Thursday for dozens of cockfight participants allegedly murdered by rogue police. Just hours later, the Department of Justice issued a statement saying a plastic bag containing what appeared to be "burned human bones" had been recovered from Lake Taal. "This discovery could represent a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation," the department said, adding a forensic examination and DNA testing were needed before conclusions could be drawn. Fifteen police officers are under investigation over a spate of mysterious disappearances in 2022 in the country's huge cockfighting industry. Philippine coast guard personnel aboard an inflatable boat speed past one of Taal craters on their way to the site where the bodies of cockfighters were allegedly dumped in Taal Lake off Laurel town, Batangas province South of Manila on July 10, 2025. TED ALJIBE/AFP via Getty Images The case erupted back into the public consciousness last month with the televised appearance of a witness claiming to know where bodies had been submerged in Lake Taal. As many as 100 people were murdered over their alleged involvement in match-fixing, killed by police moonlighting for an online cockfight operator, according to witness Julie "Dondon" Patidongan who spoke to broadcaster GMA. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla has since said that "multiple witnesses" could identify the location of those missing in the lake, which spans about 89 square miles. Department spokesman Dominic Clavano said Thursday the preliminary inspection by the coast guard and police was intended to lay the groundwork for future dives. But hours after it concluded, the justice department said searchers had found the bag containing what appeared to be human bones. While the initial probe was conducted far from shore, local media reported the bag was discovered within 10 metres (33 feet) from the shoreline. Filipinos from all walks of life wager millions of dollars on matches every week between roosters who fight to the death with razor-sharp metal spurs tied to their legs. "We are not the only victims here" Charlene Lasco, whose missing brother Ricardo was an agent for livestreamed cockfights, said the priority for victims' families was being able to lay their loved ones to rest. "We are happy that (the government) is doing their best to locate (the bodies) and solve this case," she said at the national police headquarters in Manila. "We are not the only victims here." National Police Chief Nicolas Torre said this week authorities needed to act swiftly. "The typhoon season is coming in," he told journalists on Tuesday. "We are moving fast to at least try to locate the bodies. We know that it is very, very challenging." The justice minister said Friday he had requested technical assistance from Japan including help with mapping the lake bed, parts of which are as deep as 172 metres. Japan's embassy in Manila told AFP it had received the request without providing further details. But Torre believes the Philippines had the necessary equipment on hand to begin the search. "We have a very, very robust shipping industry here and in other parts of the Philippines, so we can do it," he said. Cockfighting, banned in many other countries, survived coronavirus pandemic restrictions by going online, drawing many more gamblers who use their mobile phones to place wagers. A 2022 Senate investigation revealed that daily bets on online cockfights tallied $52.4 million, the BBC reported. But after the men disappeared, the livestreamed fights came under scrutiny and former president Rodrigo Duterte eventually banned them, according to the BBC. In 2020, a police officer in the Philippines was killed during a raid on an illegal cockfight after a rooster's blade sliced his femoral artery. Cockfighting operations have also made headline in the U.S. recently. Last month, more than 40 people were arrested after a cockfighting ring was broken up in South Florida. Earlier this year, hundreds of birds were euthanized after a joint investigation led to their seizure from an alleged cockfighting operation in Kansas.
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Malay Mail
Philippines searches Lake Taal for bodies of cockfighters allegedly killed by rogue cops
MANILA, July 11 — Search teams today began scouring a lake south of the Philippine capital Manila for dozens of cockfighters allegedly murdered by rogue police. Fifteen police officers are under investigation over a spate of mysterious disappearances in 2022 in the country's huge cockfighting industry. The case erupted back into the public consciousness last month with the televised appearance of a witness claiming to know where bodies had been submerged in Lake Taal, about two hours south of the capital. As many as 100 people were murdered over their alleged involvement in match-fixing, killed by police moonlighting for an online cockfight operator, according to witness Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan who spoke to broadcaster GMA. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla has since said that 'multiple witnesses' could identify the location of the missing in the lake, which spans more than 230 square kilometres (89 square miles). Justice department spokesman Dominic Clavano said Thursday the initial foray by the Philippine Coast Guard and national police was intended to lay the groundwork for future dives, likely at a depth of about 30 metres (98 feet). 'This (investigation) is a step in the right direction... but we will not stop here. This is not our only lead,' he said at a press briefing. Filipinos from all walks of life wager millions of dollars on matches every week between roosters who fight to the death with razor-sharp metal spurs tied to their legs. Charlene Lasco, whose missing brother Ricardo was an agent for livestreamed cockfights, said the priority for victims' families was being able to lay their loved ones to rest. 'We are happy that (the government) is doing their best to locate (the bodies) and solve this case,' she said at the national police headquarters in Manila. 'We are not the only victims here,' she added, citing Patidongan's claims of 100 victims. In this photo taken on August 26, 2022, roosters fight during a cockfighting match at the San Pedro Coliseum in Laguna province. — AFP pic 'We are moving fast' National Police Chief Nicolas Torre this week said authorities needed to act swiftly on the latest information. 'The typhoon season is coming in,' he told journalists on Tuesday. 'We are moving fast to at least try to locate the bodies. We know that it is very, very challenging.' The justice minister said Friday he had requested technical assistance from Japan including help with mapping the lake bed, parts of which are as deep as 172 metres. Japan's embassy in Manila told AFP it had received the request without providing further details. But Torre believes the Philippines had the necessary equipment on hand to begin the search. 'We have a very, very robust shipping industry here and in other parts of the Philippines, so we can do it.' Cockfighting, banned in many other countries, survived coronavirus pandemic restrictions by going online, drawing many more gamblers who use their mobile phones to place wagers. Former president Rodrigo Duterte banned the livestreaming of cockfights shortly before leaving office in 2022, but it has continued due to lax enforcement. — AFP
Times
07-07-2025
- Times
Murder mystery of missing Filipino cockfighters takes new twist
It began three years ago as a stubborn mystery: what had become of 34 men, all of them associated with the cockfighting business, who inexplicably disappeared in the Philippines? Today police believe the grisly answer is at the bottom of one of the country's lakes. An appeal has been made to Japan to lend unmanned drone submarines to probe the 560ft-deep Taal Lake, where they suspect that the remains of the murdered men lie. The testimony of a whistleblower has thrown open the case — which has dragged in a rich businessman and a prominent actress and exposed the dark side of cockfighting, one of southeast Asia's most popular diversions. The grim story started during the Covid-19 pandemic when gatherings for cockfighting, or sabong as it is known in the Philippines, became impossible. Instead, businesses began streaming the fights online and profiting from betting by locked-down gamblers across the country. In January 2022, sabungeros, who organised the fights, began to disappear. Some were teenage boys; several were bundled out of their homes by thugs and driven off never to be seen again. The speculation was that they had been abducted on the orders of gambling bosses who believed that the small-time sabungeros had cheated them. The police arrested six security guards, who were charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. Now one of them, a man named Julie Patidongan, alias Dondon, has given a detailed account of their grim fate and named those he claims are responsible for the killings. They include a businessman and 'gaming consultant' named Charlie 'Atong' Ang and the actress, singer and socialite Gretchen Barretto, who was allegedly an active investor in Ang's gambling business. 'They were always together,' Patidongan told Philippine media. 'She knows all of Mr Atong Ang's secrets.' Both Ang and Barretto deny any involvement in the disappearance of the cockfighters. Ang is suing Patidongan for defamation. The police, however, are taking his testimony seriously. The problem now is how to find any evidence in the large, acidic and notoriously deep volcanic lake. 'We will need technical divers to determine the veracity of the information,' Jesus Crispin Remulla, the Philippine justice secretary, said. 'It's not easy to go into a lake bed to look for human remains. 'I will speak to [whoever] would want to come here to tell the truth … Our very soul as Filipinos is at stake here. We must not allow money to become the only master of the Filipino people.'
Khaleej Times
05-07-2025
- Khaleej Times
Philippines steps up investigation into missing cockfighters allegedly killed by police
The Philippine government is turning to Japan for technical assistance in its efforts to locate the remains of 34 cockfighters who reportedly vanished under suspicious circumstances. Justice secretary Crispin Remulla announced on July 4 that authorities are investigating allegations that rogue police officers executed and dumped victims in Taal Lake, located just south of Manila. These disturbing disappearances date back to 2022 and are linked to the country's highly profitable but controversial cockfighting industry, locally known as sabong. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. The case gained renewed attention after whistleblower, Julie 'Dondo' Patidongan, a former mayoral candidate, publicly claimed to know the exact location in the lake where the bodies had been submerged. Justice secretary Remulla confirmed that multiple witnesses have since come forward, supporting Patidongan's claims. Based on their testimonies, the justice department is now focusing on a group of 15 police officers, currently under investigation and put on restricted duty. "They carried out the executions," Remulla said. To bolster the investigation, the justice department has formally requested Japan's assistance in conducting lakebed mapping and deploying advanced forensic technology. "We need a scientific approach here. We cannot leave it to chance," Remulla explained. Taal Lake, located roughly two hours from Manila, is known for its volcanic island and complex underwater terrain. Spanning over 89 square miles and reaching depths of up to 564 feet, the lake presents significant challenges for any underwater search effort. Whistleblower names 'mastermind' Patidongan initially appeared in silhouette in an interview on local television outlet GMA before revealing his identity, saying he feared for his life. He has named Charlie "Atong" Ang — a prominent figure in online cockfighting — as the mastermind behind the disapperances. Meanwhile, Ang on July 3 denied the allegations and filed a lawsuit against Patidongan, accusing him of slander, threats, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Patidongan, a former employee of Ang, also mentioned that Filipino actress Gretchen Barretto was involved in the case. The camp of the actress on July 4 denied any involvement in the. In a statement made through her lawyer Alma Mallonga, the actress claimed that she was merely an investor of Pitmaster Group and had no knowledge about the 34 sabungeros who have been missing since January 2022. Authorities had previously arrested several police and security personnel in late 2022, suspecting their involvement in the disappearance of at least 34 sabungeros that Remulla said were "probably dead". However, since his televised appearance, Patidongan now claims the real number could be closer to 100. Cockfighting in the Philippines Cockfighting in the Philippines is not just a pastime but a multibillion-dollar industry. Each week, Filipinos wager millions of pesos on matches between roosters who fight to the death with metal blades tied to their legs. Though banned in many countries, sabong found new life during the COVID-19 pandemic through livestreamed betting, accessible via mobile phones. A Senate investigation in 2022 revealed that daily bets on online cockfighting reached $52.4 million (Php620 million). However, growing concerns over the missing men eventually led then-President Rodrigo Duterte to ban the online version of cockfighting. This isn't the first time sabong has made headlines for deadly consequences. In 2020, a Filipino police officer was killed during a raid on an illegal cockfight when a rooster's blade severed his femoral artery. Missing sabungeros Between April 2021 and January 2022, at least 34 cockfighters disappeared across Luzon, including Laguna, Manila, Batangas, and Bulacan. Nineteen of the missing individuals were from Laguna alone. At least one was confirmed to have been kidnapped, sparking widespread media coverage and national concern. The case remained largely unsolved until June 2025, when Patidongan's testimony changed the course of the investigation. Authorities from the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police say they are taking these new claims seriously and have committed to a thorough reinvestigation of the case.
