THE Department of Justice (DOJ) said that the recovered bones that were in a sack during an initial technical site assessment at Taal Lake on July 10, 2025, is now undergoing testing to determine they are human or animal remains.
In a statement, the DOJ said a team from the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), retrieved a white sack containing what appears to be burned human bones.
They said that this was during what was only supposed to be a preliminary inspection. However, a white sack was visibly identified and recovered from the lakebed.
DOJ Secretary Boying Remulla said that as part of their evidence-based and methodical approach, the next steps will include determining and formally certify whether the remains are indeed human through proper forensic examination.
The DOJ said this will come from either CIDG or NBI.
Likewise they said that DNA testing will be conducted to determine if there is a match with any of the families of the missing individuals.
Remulla said that the discovery could represent a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation.
“While we proceed with caution and diligence, it offers renewed hope that we are closer to uncovering the truth and securing justice for the families of the missing,” he said.
According to Police Col. Geovanny Emerick Sibalo, the provincial director of the Batangas police, said the sack was discovered some 10 meters from the shoreline.
But authorities were not quick to jump on the gun as they have yet to confirm if the bones are human.
It has been turned over to the regional Scene of the Crime Operatives for forensic examination.
Earlier, Julie Patidongan, one of the accused and a potential whistleblower in the case, revealed that the victims were executed and then dumped in the lake as they were being accused of cheating in cockfight games.
The government started the search for the remains of the missing sabungeros as Patidongan claimed that more than 100 people were killed and dumped in the lake.
He said that they were executed for allegedly cheating in multimillion-peso online sabong operations.
The names of businessman Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto surfaced as suspects in the case.
They both denied the accusations.
