Navy: No DOJ request yet to search for missing ‘sabungeros’

Photo from Philippine Navy/FACEBOOK

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy has not yet received any formal request from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the latter’s plan to verify the information of 34 missing “sabungeros”  (cockfighting aficionados), whose remains were reportedly dumped in Taal Lake in Batangas.

Navy spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos revealed this when asked about the DOJ’s earlier statement that it is eyeing the assistance of technical divers from the Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

“So far we haven’t received any formal request coming from the Department of Justice, but as I’ve mentioned in several interviews, the Philippine Navy is always ready to assist all other government agencies,” he said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Earlier, one of the six security guards accused of abducting some of the cockfighting enthusiasts revealed the reported location of the remains of the missing “sabungeros.”

According to “Alias Totoy” — one of the six security guards — tie wires were used to strangle the victims.

Authorities confirmed that at least 34 cockfighting enthusiasts had disappeared in 2021. /gsg