The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday reported the arrest abroad of two suspects linked to the high-profile disappearance of 34 cockfight enthusiasts or sabungeros over three years ago.
The PNP, however, did not reveal why the announcement was made nearly two weeks after the arrest overseas of the two men said to be siblings of “whistleblower” Julie “Dondon” Patindongan, alias “Totoy.”
Likewise, hopes for progress in the case remained elusive after the PNP announced that forensic experts had found no DNA matches from bone fragments recently recovered from Taal Lake, where victims’ bodies were reportedly dumped.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Thursday, PNP spokesperson P/Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the two individuals were returned to the country on 22 July.
One of them was identified as the person seen on CCTV footage withdrawing money from an ATM using a card belonging to one of the missing sabungeros. The other sibling was allegedly involved in escorting a victim during a suspected abduction.
Fajardo said one suspect was arrested on the strength of a warrant for robbery, while the other was detained for allegedly using a fraudulent identity on his passport.
Authorities believe the individuals could shed light on the series of disappearances that spanned 2021 to 2022.
Early investigation theories pointed to match-fixing and cheating in high-stakes cockfights as the motive for the abduction of possibly up to 100 sabungeros.
Patidongan had alleged that the sabungeros were killed and dumped in Taal Lake, pointing to gambling tycoon Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto as being involved in the plot.
Both Ang and Barretto have denied the accusation.
On Wednesday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla disclosed that a human skull, upper teeth, and other bones had been found in a deep part of Taal Lake in the location pointed out by Patidongan.
Dead end
“The latest bone recovery occurred on 30 July,” Fajardo said.
Forensic efforts, however, have hit a dead end as Fajardo said no usable DNA profiles could be extracted from the bone fragments recovered from the lake.
“In those possibly human remains, we could not extract DNA profiles because of their being submerged for so long and contamination,” Fajardo told reporters.
Skeletal remains found earlier in a mass grave at a cemetery in Laurel, Batangas — three in total, two males and one female — did yield viable DNA samples.
However, none of the samples matched the 23 DNA profiles submitted by relatives of the missing sabungeros.
Justice Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said the move underscores the government’s determination to resolve the high-profile case that has remained unsolved for more than two years.
“The DoJ understands the challenges of our DNA-testing capacities. This is exactly why we have asked the Japanese government to help us with testing the remains that were found,” Clavano said Thursday.