AFP reported that on July 4, Philippine Justice Minister Crispin Remulla said he had sent an official document requesting Japan to provide technical assistance to find the bodies of the victims at the bottom of the lake.
The incident originated from a series of mysterious disappearances of dozens of people related to the chicken game (sabong) in the Philippines.
Since 2022, dozens of people participating in organizing cockfighting or online betting have disappeared without a trace, raising suspicions about underground criminal networks linked to security authorities.
Interest returned strongly after a witness suddenly appeared on television last June. Initially hiding, the man later revealed his identity as July Dondon Patidongan, a former city candidate, and claimed to know exactly where the bodies were headed.
They were thrown into Taal Lake. I know the place, Patidongan affirmed.
Minister Remulla confirmed: I have just signed a letter to the Japanese government, requesting support for the technology of scanning the lake bed and creating a map of the waterbed for accurate search. We need a scientific approach. We cannot leave it to chance.
Taal Lake, more than 230 km2 wide and up to 172 m deep, is the mouth of one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines, about 2 hours from the capital Manila. The search in such a dangerous terrain requires modern and highly specialized equipment, which Japan can provide.
Mr. Remulla further revealed that 15 national police officers are being investigated and have been transferred to limited duties. They directly carried out the executions, he said.
According to Patidongan, the suspect behind the disappearances is Charlie Ang, a prominent figure in the cockfighting livestream world. Ang denied all allegations and filed a counter-suit against Patidongan on July 3 for slander, threats and robbery.
However, the Philippine Department of Justice arrested a number of police officers and security guards in late 2022 for being involved in 34 missing cases in the sabong sector - people that the government now believes may be dead.
What is more shocking is the latest statement from Patidongan that the actual number of victims could be up to 100 people, not stopping at 34 as before.
Chicken Stealing is a traditional entertainment activity in the Philippines. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced this activity to move online, sabong has developed even more strongly, attracting all classes of society, from working class to businessmen and celebrities, with millions of USD betting every week.
Although former President Rodrigo Trump banned livestreaming of cockfighting before his term in 2022, the ban does not seem to be very effective.
