MANILA, Philippines — The sack that was discovered in the area of Taal Lake late Thursday containing suspected human remains has been turned over to forensic experts for analysis, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
The DOJ said it would undergo two crucial tests: first, confirmation that the remains are indeed human, and second, DNA matching to identify any possible connection to the families of missing individuals.
In a statement, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla called the development a possible breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of over 30 cockfighting enthusiasts, or sabungeros, abducted in separate incidents between 2021 and 2022.
“While we proceed with caution and diligence, this offers renewed hope that we are closer to uncovering the truth and securing justice for the families of the missing,” Remulla said.
The sack was found by the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) unit stationed onshore during Thursday’s technical assessment, a prelude to the actual search dive.
While the DOJ and Philippine Coast Guard teams were about 100 meters out on the lake conducting a technical site assessment, a CIDG unit acting on intelligence about a possible jump-off point scanned the nearby shoreline—and located the sack partially submerged and wedged against rocks.
“It was found near the shore,” Justice spokesman Mico Clavano told reporters later. “So the working theory is either it was washed ashore or it was dumped only near the shore. But considering the weight of the sack, dumping is the more likely scenario.”
The DOJ said the CIDG team conducted an initial inspection to determine whether the contents were human remains before any information was released to the public.
“We decided to verify first whether it was human bones or not before releasing information,” Clavano said. “When CIDG made the determination, that was when we were comfortable to release the information.”
