Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday said government lawyers are preparing the filing of charges against individuals allegedly involved in the abduction and killing of more than 30 missing sabungeros or cockfighting aficionados.

Remulla said the charges being considered include kidnapping, murder, and violations of Republic Act 9851 or the Act Defining and Penalizing Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity.

“We are rolling by the day, we’re looking at everything by the day and at the same time our lawyers are in conference about the cases that are being evaluated for filing," he said.

As part of the investigation, authorities are also working to take into custody the owner of a fishpond in Taal Lake, which had been leased by one of the suspects. The fishpond is believed to be the ground zero where the bodies of the missing sabungeros were buried.

The Justice chief revealed that several individuals have reached out to the DOJ, either to clear their names or to cooperate in the investigation.

“Some of them will be corroborating the activities of the Alpha Group. We are seeing many possibilities here because this is not just about the Alpha Group. There is also the Delta Group, Charlie Group, Bravo Group. It’s tiered according to the income stream that they all receive out of this e-sabong industry,” Remulla said.

These groups reportedly include businessmen, government functionaries, and others with varying roles in the operations.

Remulla described the sabungeros case as a form of “corporate killings.”

He appealed to those involved in the disappearances to come forward before law enforcement catches up with them.

“In the long run, the case is going to haunt all of them. This is a long drawn out case and the earlier they come in, the better,” he said.

The team that will conduct the search for the missing individuals in Taal Lake is still awaiting essential equipment, including remote operating vehicles (ROVs) requested from the Japanese government, as well as devices from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) to aid in combing the lakebed.

The composite team will include personnel from the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, MGB, and the Philippine National Police Maritime Group.

Remulla said DOJ Undersecretary Eliseo Cruz will lead the search team, while DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV is coordinating with Japanese officials regarding the request for ROVs.

Earlier, Remulla said the exploratory dive may begin within the week.