Another set of human remains linked to the missing sabungeros has been recovered from the bed of Taal Lake, the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Wednesday.
DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano IV confirmed that the Philippine Coast Guard recently retrieved skeletons later determined to be human. “We are again coming up with an updated inventory and this will all go through DNA testing which we have been doing since the start of the operation,” he said in an interview with state media.
Clavano added that the National Prosecution Service has issued subpoenas to about 59 or 60 respondents in connection with the complaints filed by families of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts.
“Subpoenas have been issued from the preliminary report given by the NPS. Because there are so many of them, and we usually serve that personally, the service is still ongoing,” Clavano said.
He explained that the serving of subpoenas began Tuesday and continued into Wednesday, with the DOJ aiming to complete the process within the day.
Asked if businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang was among those served, Clavano replied: “Definitely after this, he would have been served already with the subpoena. I’m not sure if he was included in the first batch or the second batch today. Pero po ang goal po natin is to have everyone served their subpoenas by today.”
The DOJ has been investigating the disappearance of more than 30 sabungeros, who went missing in separate incidents across Luzon between 2021 and 2022.