Latest news with #disappearances
CTV News
17-07-2025
- CTV News
Mounties renew appeal for information in B.C. missing hiker cases
Gurdeep 'Gordon' Sagoo, Timothy Delahaye, Kristofer Couture and Valentina Kushnareva are shown in this composite image created from photos provided by the RCMP. Since 2016, four people who set off into the backcountry near Chilliwack, B.C., have never returned, according to authorities, who issued a renewed appeal for information in the missing persons cases Thursday. Local Mounties are asking people to be on the lookout for anything that could help advance the investigations into the disappearances while out hiking, biking, off-roading or otherwise exploring the areas where the people were last seen. 'Police are requesting assistance and information from anyone who has spent time in the backcountry areas in the past few years who may have located personal items such as clothing and equipment which could provide information as to the whereabouts of any of these missing persons,' a statement from the Chilliwack RCMP said. Photos of the missing people and information on their last known whereabouts were also provided. Gurdeep Gordon Sagoo, 50, was last seen Aug. 14, 2016, when he became separated from a group while hiking at Baby Munday Mountain off the Foley Creek Service Road. Gurdeep 'Gordon' Sagoo, On May 14, 2019, Timothy Delahaye – described by police as an 'experienced outdoorsman' – started his hike on Frost Road, with plans to attend a retreat across the border in Maple Falls, Wash. He never arrived, and police say he was equipped with 'a lot of gear.' Timothy Delahaye Three days later, 25-year-old Kristofer Couture was reported missing after his vehicle was found at the entrance to the Elk View Trail. Authorities say they do not know when he parked there, or what he had with him when he departed. Kristofer Couture Valentina Kushnareva, 80, set out to go mushroom picking on Oct. 3, 2019, never to be seen again, according to police. She entered the backcountry from the 43000 block of Frost Road Valentina Kushnareva. Anyone who has come across items that may belong to one of the missing people, or who finds something in the future, is urged to report it by emailing details to E_Chilliwack_Missing_Person@ Mounties ask for the following information to be included, if possible:
France 24
10-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Search for missing cockfighters begins at Philippine lake
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, located about two hours south of the capital. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla has since said he has "multiple witnesses" who can identify the location of the missing in the lake, which spans more than 230 square kilometres (89 square miles). "The purpose of (Thursday's mission) is to ... identify the area covered by the search, see initial water conditions and to measure the depth of covered area," the justice department said in a statement. The Philippine Coast Guard will participate in the preliminary assessment alongside police. National Police Chief Nicolas Torre this week said 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." Remulla on Friday said he had requested technical assistance from Japan including help with mapping the lake bed, parts of which are as deep as 172 metres (564 feet). The Japanese 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." 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. The sport, 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.
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.
CBS News
04-07-2025
- CBS News
After dozens of cockfighting participants allegedly killed by rogue police in Philippines, case takes a new twist
The Philippines' justice secretary said Friday he has asked for Japan's technical assistance to help the search for dozens of cockfighting participants allegedly killed by rogue police and dumped in a lake south of Manila. The case is tied to a spate of mysterious disappearances in 2022 in the Southeast Asian nation's huge cockfighting industry, known locally as "sabong." Interest in the unsolved cases has surged since the televized appearance of a witness -- since identified as Julie "Dondon" Patidongan, a recent mayoral candidate -- who claimed to know where bodies had been submerged in Lake Taal. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said Friday he now had multiple witnesses who could "testify where (in the water) those missing persons were thrown". He added that a group of 15 unnamed national police officers were under investigation and put on restricted duty. "They carried out the executions," he said. "I just signed a letter for the Japanese government asking for assistance to enable us to do a lakebed mapping and... other technology that we need," Remulla added. "We need a scientific approach here. We cannot leave it to chance." Located about two hours south of the capital, Taal Lake is home to an active island volcano and spans more than 89 square miles with a depth of 564 feet in some places. The Taal volcano not far from the Philippine capital Manila is seen on Oct. 16, 2024. It is considered one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines and has been active again since January 2020. It forms a large caldera with a lake in which the volcanic island Volcano Island is located. Carola Frentzen/picture alliance via Getty Images Patidongan initially appeared in silhouette in an interview on local television outlet GMA before later revealing himself, saying he feared for his life. He has identified Charlie Ang, a man involved in livestreamed cockfighting operations, as the mastermind behind the disappearances. Ang has denied all charges and on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing Patidongan, a former employee, of slander, threats and conspiracy to commit robbery. The justice department made a series of arrests in late 2022 of police and security personnel allegedly involved with the disappearance of 34 cockfight industry participants that Remulla said were "probably dead". Since his televized appearance, Patidongan has claimed the actual number could be as high as 100. 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. The sport, 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. Philippine fighting cocks spar along a street in metropolitan Manila, Philippines, Thursday, June 28, 2018. Aaron Favila / AP 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.
France 24
04-07-2025
- France 24
Philippines asks Japan's help searching lake for missing cockfighters
The case is tied to a spate of mysterious disappearances in 2022 in the Southeast Asian nation's huge cockfighting industry, known locally as "sabong". Interest in the unsolved cases has surged since the televised appearance of a witness -- since identified as Julie "Dondon" Patidongan, a recent mayoral candidate -- who claimed to know where bodies had been submerged in Lake Taal. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said Friday he now had multiple witnesses who could "testify where (in the water) those missing persons were thrown". He added that a group of 15 unnamed national police officers were under investigation and put on restricted duty. "They carried out the executions," he said. "I just signed a letter for the Japanese government asking for assistance to enable us to do a lakebed mapping and... other technology that we need," Remulla added. "We need a scientific approach here. We cannot leave it to chance." Located about two hours south of the capital, Taal Lake is home to an active island volcano and spans more than 230 square kilometres (89 square miles) with a depth of 172 metres (564 feet) in some places. Patidongan initially appeared in silhouette in an interview on local television outlet GMA before later revealing himself, saying he feared for his life. He has identified Charlie Ang, a man involved in livestreamed cockfighting operations, as the mastermind behind the disappearances. Ang has denied all charges and on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing Patidongan, a former employee, of slander, threats and conspiracy to commit robbery. The justice department made a series of arrests in late 2022 of police and security personnel allegedly involved with the disappearance of 34 cockfight industry participants that Remulla said were "probably dead". Since his televised appearance, Patidongan has claimed the actual number could be as high as 100. 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. The sport, banned in many other countries, survived coronavirus pandemic restrictions by going online, drawing many more gamblers who use their mobile phones to place wagers.
