Possible Human Remains Found in Taal Lake
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities recently recovered possible human remains along with clothes, shoes, and slippers from Taal Lake, Batangas, amid their ongoing search for missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) in the area. The Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed these findings as part of their investigation efforts.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo explained that the possible human remains will undergo DNA cross-matching with samples collected from relatives of the missing sabungeros. “Again, it will be subjected to tests to determine whether or not these bones, which were obtained recently for the last two days, are from humans, and the same process we will do is crossmatch them with the relatives of the missing sabungeros who provided their DNA profile,” Fajardo told reporters on Monday.
Authorities Seek Public Help in Identifying Items
Fajardo also urged the public to help identify any of the recovered items. “Maybe they could recall that one of their relatives reported missing and remember that these clothes, hats, hoodies, and slippers are what they wore before they disappeared,” she said.
The PNP official encouraged anyone who recognizes these belongings to coordinate with the nearest police station. “So, they must come forward because we’re not ruling out the possibility that, in addition to the possible remains of the missing sabungeros, it’s also possible, if you remember that these items belong to the missing individuals,” she added.
She also invited relatives to voluntarily provide their DNA samples for cross-matching to aid the investigation.
Background on the Taal Lake Recovery
On July 14, PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III reported the discovery of human remains among bones retrieved from Taal Lake. Philippine Coast Guard divers had recovered five sacks from the lakebed near Barangay Balakilong in Laurel town, Batangas. One sack contained suspected charred human bones about 10 meters off the shore.
Last week, Fajardo noted that DNA profiles could not be extracted from some bone fragments recently found because they were already contaminated. The PNP Forensic Group said that at least 91 bone fragments were recovered from the five sacks earlier in July.
Whistleblower’s Allegations
In June, a whistleblower known as “Totoy” or Julie “Dondon” Patidongan claimed that the 34 missing sabungeros were buried in Taal Lake. Patidongan, one of six security guards accused of abducting the cockfighting enthusiasts, alleged that the victims were strangled with tie wire before their bodies were dumped into the lake.
These developments have intensified efforts to locate the missing sabungeros and provide closure to their families. Authorities continue to appeal for public cooperation in identifying recovered items and supporting DNA matching procedures.
For more news and updates on possible human remains, visit Filipinokami.com.
