No ‘cover-up’ in missing sabungeros case — Palace

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July 11, 2025 | 12:24pm

MANILA, Philippines — After bones were recovered on the first day of the search for missing sabungeros in Taal Lake, Malacañang vowed that there would be no cover-up in the case.

In a briefing on Friday, July 11, Palace Press Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the discovery warranted a deeper probe to determine whether the remains were connected to the disappearance of cockfighting enthusiasts.

"Hindi po ito pababayaan. Hindi magkakaroon ng cover-up. Tuloy-tuloy ang pag-iimbestiga," Castro said.

(This will not be neglected. There will be no cover-up. The investigation continues.)

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), authorities are still working to confirm if the bones found in Taal Lake are human.

During the first day of the search, authorities were surprised to find a sack containing dark bones just meters from the shore.

DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said a team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was present at the scene.

"The DOJ and PCG teams were about 100 meters out and used a smaller boat to reach the shore to see what they had found," Clavano said in a statement to reporters.

"The team decided to verify first whether it was human bones or not before releasing information," he added.

The case of the missing sabungeros has captured national attention once again following new witness claims that the bodies were dumped in Taal Lake. Businessman Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto have been tagged in the allegations.

Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, a former aide of Ang, has accused his former boss of masterminding the disappearances.

Both Ang and Barretto have denied the claims.