The University of the Philippines (UP) Forensic Pathology Department said Wednesday, August 20, that it is awaiting the turnover of alleged human remains retrieved during the search for missing sabungeros (cockfight enthusiasts) who were reportedly dumped in Taal Lake.

"It was announced by the Department of Justice that they would bring them here," forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun told reporters.

The Justice department earlier tapped UP to help investigate the findings from Taal Lake.

Search and retrieval operations began 10 July, prompted by whistleblower Julie Patidongan, also known as Totoy, a Manila Arena security guard implicated in the disappearance of 10 sabungeros. Patidongan pointed to Laurel town as one of the alleged dumping sites.

In July, two sacks containing human skeletal remains believed to belong to the missing sabungeros were recovered in Taal Lake.

Fortun stressed the need for an autopsy, noting that a full adult skeleton would not fit in a single sack.

"So marami kang masasabi. Pinuto-putol ba? (So we can conclude a lot of things from it. Were they dismembered?)," she said.

"All those remains have to be professionally examined, documented," she added.

Fortun said the identity, cause of death, and manner of death also need to be determined.

While the Philippine National Police earlier said no DNA profiles could be extracted from the bone fragments recovered from the lake, Fortun clarified that the skeletons could still be identified.

"You don't give up. You don't dismiss just like that. Is it the limitation of their laboratory? Then we can try other laboratories. Is it a limitation of their procedure? Then [we can push for others]," she added.