Latest news with #JesusCrispin'Boying'Remulla
Filipino Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
DOJ to launch Taal Lake search for missing sabungeros this week
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla said the government is pushing to begin the search for the bodies of the missing sabungeros or cockfighting enthusiasts in Taal Lake within the week. Remulla said the operation would initially focus on a fishpond lease by one of the suspects. 'We're asking them to start this week. Our basic plan is to map it out and assess the condition so we can plan how to go about it,' he said. He did not specify which agency would lead the operation, but the secretary earlier said the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy could be tapped for technical diving operations. The search follows whistleblower Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan's claim that the bodies of the missing individuals were dumped in the lake. Remulla added that he is still waiting for a response from the Japanese government after seeking their assistance last week. Patidongan named businessman Atong Ang as the mastermind in the case. He also linked actress Gretchen Barretto to the disappearances.
GMA Network
07-07-2025
- GMA Network
Missing sabungeros whistleblower under PNP protective custody —Torre
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday confirmed that the whistleblower in the case of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts or sabungeros is under the protective custody of the police. 'Si 'Totoy' nasa protective custody namin siya sa ngayon,' PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III said in a press briefing. ('Totoy' is in our protective custody right now.) 'But he's already applying for the Witness Protection Program dahil kapag siya ay nag-qualify i-turn over namin siya sa Department of Justice. Sa ngayon naman, madali na 'yun. Na kay [Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla] na ang final say d'yan sa kaniyang protection,' he added. (But he's already applying for the Witness Protection Program and when he qualifies, we will turn him over to the Department of Justice. Right now, that's easy. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla has the final say on his protection.) Meanwhile, the 15 cops whom the whistleblower recently implicated in the disappearances of the missing sabungeros are under restrictive custody at Camp Crame in Quezon City, according to Torre. 'Marami sa kanila nasa support units. May mga nasa region. May mga nasa [area police commands]. Iba-ibang mga units sila. Lahat sila active except for one na due for retirement at tatlong dating na-dismiss,' Torre said, referring to the assignments of the 15 cops. (Many of them are in support units. Some are in the region. Some are in the APC. They are in different units. They are all active except for one who is due for retirement and three who were previously dismissed.) Seven cops allegedly involved in the abduction of the cockfighting enthusiasts were initially dismissed from the service as early as January 2023. Torre said some of the 15 cops in restrictive custody were included in the alleged up to P2 million monthly payola from Atong Ang, who was among the supposed masterminds in the disappearances as claimed by the whistleblower. According to the PNP chief, the police are looking into more personalities possibly involved in the case and their possible locations. A total of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts have been reported missing from 2021 to 2022. According to the police, the missing personalities were kidnapped allegedly due to match fixing or cheating in the cockfighting games. The whistleblower claims that the victims were already buried in Taal Lake. However, Torre said the police are also checking other alleged 'disposal areas' of the missing sabungeros. He added that they received information that some sabungeros were burned. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
