PH seeks Japan's technical aid in searching for missing sabungeros
Remulla said he signed a letter requesting Japan's support for lakebed mapping and other technology to assist in the search operations.
'We need a scientific approach here. We cannot leave it to chance,' he said.
The investigation is linked to the disappearance of over 30 individuals involved in the cockfighting industry, or sabong, in 2021.
Interest in the unsolved cases resurfaced after a key witness, identified as Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan, claimed to know where the victims' bodies were submerged in the lake.
Patidongan, a former mayoral candidate and former employee in the online cockfighting industry, has accused businessman Charlie 'Atong' Ang of masterminding the abductions.
Ang has denied all allegations and filed charges of attempted robbery with violence and intimidation, grave threat, grave coercion, incrimination of innocent persons, and slander against Patidongan and Alan Bantiles alias 'Brown.'
Remulla said multiple witnesses are now willing to testify about the alleged dumping of bodies in Taal Lake, which is located about two hours south of Metro Manila.
He also confirmed that 15 unnamed personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) are under investigation and have been placed on restricted duty.
'They carried out the executions,' Remulla said.
Taal Lake, home to an active island volcano, spans over 230 square kilometers and reaches depths of up to 172 meters.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Filipino Times
36 minutes ago
- Filipino Times
Philippine Navy to inspect Japanese warships for possible transfer
The Philippine Navy is set to inspect Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's (JMSDF) Abukuma-class destroyer escorts as part of ongoing discussions on a possible transfer of the warships to the Philippines. Navy spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos said a team of naval experts will be dispatched to Japan for a joint visual inspection, following an official invitation from the Japanese Ministry of Defense. 'This planned inspection forms part of exploratory discussions on the possible transfer of these naval assets to the Philippines,' Alcos said in a statement released Sunday. The Abukuma-class destroyers are designed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare. If acquired, the vessels are expected to strengthen the Philippine Navy's maritime defense capabilities, particularly in the West Philippine Sea. The Navy said the initiative reflects the deepening strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan, and supports both countries' commitment to maritime security, interoperability, and regional stability. The planned inspection comes after both countries ratified the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), which facilitates joint military exercises, humanitarian missions, and temporary deployment of troops by easing legal and logistical barriers. Japan has been a key defense partner of the Philippines in recent years having supplied two 97-meter multi-role response vessels, BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Melchora Aquino, which are actively deployed in patrol operations in the West Philippine Sea.
Gulf Today
19 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Pakistan's top judge rejects call to make JCP proceedings public
A renewed call to make public the proceedings of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), under the leadership of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, has once again been rejected — reopening a debate previously settled by the commission during a meeting last year. In the Nov.25, 2024 meeting, senior puisne judge Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah had proposed that the minutes of JCP meetings be made public, but the idea was turned down by a majority of members, a well-placed source revealed. On June 25, Justice Shah again urged the JCP to share minutes of its meetings - citing past transparency measures taken during the tenure of former CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa, when the minutes of a three-judge committee formed under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 were regularly uploaded on the Supreme Court's official website. The Nov 25 JCP meeting had been convened to constitute a nine-judge constitutional bench for the Sindh High Court (SHC), which was approved by a majority vote of 11 to 4. However, PTI representatives - Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Omar Ayub and Leader of the Opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz, - did not attend the meeting. The JCP waited for nearly two hours for the two members to arrive, but their mobile phones remained switched off. The JCP then proceeded with its meeting. Later, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar were nominated to replace Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz in the JCP. During the session, chaired by CJP Yahya Afridi, Justice Shah invoked Article 19A of the Constitution to argue that the proceedings of the commission should be made public due to the significant public interest involved in its decisions. He emphasised that transparency in judicial appointments was essential to uphold democratic norms and public trust. Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar responded that the decision should be based on the collective wisdom of the commission's members. The attorney general of Pakistan noted that the in-camera nature of JCP meetings was prescribed by the commission's rules of 2010 and that any deviation would require a formal amendment to those rules. The CJP clarified the current legal framework did not allow disclosure of proceedings, as the existing rules explicitly prohibit it. Nevertheless, he put the matter to a vote. The proposal was rejected, with 11 members voting against it and only three - including Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar - voting in favour. SHC Chief Justice Shafi Siddiqui abstained. Tariq Butt
Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Filipino Times
PH seeks Japan's technical aid in searching for missing sabungeros
Justice Secretary Crispin 'Boying' Remulla has sought technical assistance from the Japanese government to help locate the bodies of missing sabungeros or cockfighting enthusiasts allegedly killed and dumped in Taal Lake. Remulla said he signed a letter requesting Japan's support for lakebed mapping and other technology to assist in the search operations. 'We need a scientific approach here. We cannot leave it to chance,' he said. The investigation is linked to the disappearance of over 30 individuals involved in the cockfighting industry, or sabong, in 2021. Interest in the unsolved cases resurfaced after a key witness, identified as Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan, claimed to know where the victims' bodies were submerged in the lake. Patidongan, a former mayoral candidate and former employee in the online cockfighting industry, has accused businessman Charlie 'Atong' Ang of masterminding the abductions. Ang has denied all allegations and filed charges of attempted robbery with violence and intimidation, grave threat, grave coercion, incrimination of innocent persons, and slander against Patidongan and Alan Bantiles alias 'Brown.' Remulla said multiple witnesses are now willing to testify about the alleged dumping of bodies in Taal Lake, which is located about two hours south of Metro Manila. He also confirmed that 15 unnamed personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) are under investigation and have been placed on restricted duty. 'They carried out the executions,' Remulla said. Taal Lake, home to an active island volcano, spans over 230 square kilometers and reaches depths of up to 172 meters.
