Unseal Pandora’s box

The bone hunters from the Philippine National Police and the Coast Guard are scouring the depths of Taal Lake for the remains of the missing sabungeros and have so far found several bags of bones.

The search for Pandora’s box, however, should not be on the lakebed but in the corners of the PNP offices.

In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman on Earth, created by the gods. She was given a box and was told not to open it. Out of curiosity, she opened the box, releasing all the evils of the world.

The fabled box could now be in the hands of whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, whom PNP Chief Nicholas Torre III admitted to having corresponded with since the latter’s stint as Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief last year.

Cockfighting arena personnel of the electronic-sabong goldmine started to go missing in 2021, with the first known abduction taking place on 28 April in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

But it wasn’t until 13 January 2022 that a series of disappearances — four in Sta. Cruz and six in Manila — caught the media’s attention.

By 18 January 2022, local media had reported 26 individuals missing.

Torre’s confirmation that Patidongan, alias “Totoy,” had been under PNP protective custody since last year raises skepticism, particularly regarding efficiency, transparency, and the dispensing of justice in the high-profile case.

The delayed public disclosure and serious action on Patidongan’s revelations only point to an undue delay that may have compromised the trail to the mastermind of the gruesome executions.

Torre revealed that Patidongan approached the CIDG when he was still its chief and provided an affidavit detailing the killings, disposal sites, alleged masterminds, and implicating over 20 police personnel.

The case, however, gained significant traction only recently when Patidongan divulged his information to the media.

Only then did Torre direct the restriction of 15 police officers linked to the disappearances, suggesting a delay of several months or longer from Patidongan’s initial cooperation and the PNP’s public acknowledgment and serious action on the case.

The prolonged silence may have affected the collection of evidence, as those questioned were allowed to cover their tracks.

The public perception of the PNP’s handling of the case has been marked by frustration and anger over perceived corruption.

The delay fueled skepticism about the PNP’s commitment to transparency and accountability, especially given allegations of police involvement and payoffs.

The safety of the whistleblower may also be affected by the delay, given the powerful figures he has identified as involved in the mass murder.

The PNP indicated that Patidongan’s cooperation was kept “under wraps” to avoid preempting police moves, but no discernible progress on the case was noted until lately.

Torre said the PNP was working “silently” to gather “voluminous evidence” and avoid preempting their moves while highlighting its collaboration with the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) to ensure transparency and impartiality.

Given the significant public interest in the case, why was there a lack of public updates or visible progress, especially in a case that has sparked public outrage and Senate inquiries since 2022?

Torre’s placing 15 police officers, including a lieutenant colonel, under restrictive custody and pursuing additional leads may have been face-saving acts.

He continued to be evasive about the details of the officers’ identities and roles, or the additional disposal sites, citing the need to prevent suspects from tampering with the evidence.

Beyond the 15 cops, no information from Torre or other investigative authorities has been provided, except for Justice Secretary Boying Remulla’s statement that all those mentioned in the affidavit will be probed.

Influential figures are palpably exerting extreme efforts to keep the rot from spilling out of Pandora’s — or Totoy’s — box.