Technical divers eyed to look for missing sabungeros in Taal Lake

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla —PHOTO FROM DOJ Facebook PAGE

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday floated the idea of using “technical divers” to verify information that the 34 missing sabungeros, or cockfighting enthusiasts, are allegedly already dead and were disposed of in Taal Lake in Batangas.

Remulla made the pronouncement after one of the six security guards accused of abducting the cockfighting enthusiasts revealed information about the status of the missing sabungeros.

READ: Court asked to order rearrest of persons involved in missing sabungeros

“Maybe a technical diver is really needed there, to determine the veracity of the information,” Remulla said in Filipino during a chance interview with reporters.

“We will need technical divers to do it, because it’s deep, and it’s not easy to go into a lake to look for human remains,” he added mostly in Filipino.

According to Remulla, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will “‘exhaust efforts to locate all remains,” especially as the case build-up on the investigation continues.

Asked if he thinks it is actually possible that the missing sabungeros are already dead, Remulla responded in the affirmative, saying that it “can be a credible story.”

“Because there is no trace. When you vanish without a trace, it must be somewhere where people have not been able to look. Maybe the place will not be looked at again,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English.

Remulla said they are studying various information regarding the missing sabungeros together with the National Bureau of Investigation.

READ: CA affirms no-bail ruling for 6 in ‘sabungeros’ case

The DOJ chief then said he intends to meet and talk with the whistleblower on the missing sabungeros’ status to vet the information.

“We have to be responsible enough to seek the truth, especially in cases like this,” said Remulla. /jpv