Bones unearthed: Filipino DNA experts take centre stage in missing sabungeros saga

Manila: A crack team of Filipino forensic experts from the Philippine National Police (PNP) now finds itself at the heart of a gripping national mystery — thrust into the spotlight as they confront the harrowing task they’ve trained their careers for: identifying skeletal remains pulled from the depths of a lake, suspected to be those of the long-missing sabungeros.

Inside their high-security lab, the stakes are as high as the tension. Every bone, every fragment is handled with surgical precision and unwavering discipline. 

Forensic group

The team’s mission: to extract high-quality DNA and preserve the integrity of each clue under a strict chain-of-custody.

It’s a race against time, science versus silence — and the truth may finally be within reach.

At least 34 Filipino “sabungeros” — cockfighting enthusiasts tied to e‑sabong operations — have been missing since between April 2021 and January 2022, disappearing across Luzon in provinces such as Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Manila, and Rizal. 

These disappearances initially prompted public outrage. Investigations yielded no concrete evidence or recovered remains for years.

Whistleblower

Then in June 2025, a key witness known by the alias “Totoy” — later revealed to be security agency manager Julie “Dondon” Patidongan — emerged with chilling testimony.

Totoy claimed that not only the 34 documented missing men but up to 100 individuals may have been abducted, strangled, and dumped in Taal Lake by a criminal syndicate allegedly linked to e‑sabong operations and involving suspected rogue police officers and syndicate operatives.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed Totoy’s testimony, describing it as "credible" and "alarming".

Totoy alleged that contracted hitmen were paid as much as ₱500,000 (about $10,000) per victim, and suggested that those suspected of cheating in online cockfights were targetted. He called them “income‑driven corporate killings”. 

In the Philippines, e-sabong was a multi-billion business, with a daily take of an estimated Php1 billion for the operators, until it was banned.

Corroborating evidence

Remulla also noted that the DOJ had gathered corroborating documents and was preparing to potentially name Totoy as a state witness.

Following the whistleblower’s statements, Philippine authorities found human remains in Taal Lake, about 100km south of Manila. 

The search continues, with underwater drones and scuba divers.

PNP Chief General Nicholas Torre confirmed to local media on on July 13 that some of the bones recovered from the lake had been handed over to the forensic group for analysis.

Chain of custody

“The human remains from Batangas had been transferred to the Forensic Group.” For a speedier identification process, Gen Torre said: “We have also mobilised the crime lab of Region 4-A and Batangas to move forward to the operations area to speed up the transport and processing of these remains recovered by our scuba divers.” 

All remains are systematically processed for identification, according to Lt. Col. Edmar Dela Torre, officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police Forensic Group DNA Laboratory Division.

91 bones recovered

Ninety-one bones have so far been recovered from the five sacks recovered from the lake, Lt. Col. Dela Torre told local media on Tuesday. 

“As of now, we are positive that six of the 91 bones may be of human origin,” Dela Torre said.

Another police forensic group official has confirmed the bones belonged to humans.

"The shape of the bones found is peculiar to humans,” said to Col. Francisco Supe Jr., Deputy Director for Administration of the PNP Forensic Group.

He explained, however, that due to the length of time the bones had been soaked in water, it may take time to do their DNA matching work.

Because the bones have been soaked in water for a long time, structural changes have occurred that make analysis more challenging.

Meanwhile, the Forensic Group also confirmed that out of 45 bones first recovered from Taal Lake on July 10, 42 are possibly animal bones.

At present, DNA samples have been collected from 18 relatives of the missing sabungeros for potential cross-matching, but this will only be conducted once a DNA profile has been developed from the recovered bones.

3 bodies exhumed

On Wednesday (July 16), Remulla said that three bodies discovered in 2020 were exhumed by the DOJ and PNP at a cemetery in Batangas as part of the investigation into the missing cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungeros).

He said these were unidentified bodies that had remained unclaimed at funeral homes. Authorities are now closely examining the possible connection between the missing sabungeros case and killings during the so-called "drug war", as the same group is allegedly behind both.

The efforts of forensic experts showcase both the challenge and technical rigour they bring to an urgent local mission.

International work

Filipino DNA experts had been lauded for their work in the former Yugoslavia during the ethnic wars in the 1990s, during which mass graves and widespread forced disappearances posed daunting challenges for forensic identification. 

Back then, the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) and Interpol led the global response, by developing a "DNA-led" approach, pioneering large-scale forensic identification via DNA. 

DNA experts from the Philippines

Experts from the Philippines, recognised for their abilities in disaster victim identification, joined these international teams, working alongside global counterparts to analyse and match DNA profiles from fragmented remains with samples from families of the missing. 

Their collaboration established vital procedures and set new standards for victim identification in conflict and disaster scenarios worldwide.

The contribution of Filipino DNA experts extended beyond Yugoslavia; they also played key roles, alongside Interpol and international teams, in the Philippines following large-scale disasters such as Typhoon Frank, illustrating global recognition of their technical competence, according to Interpol.

PNP crime lab

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory is the national forensic science arm, tasked to provide scientific and technical investigative aid in crime detection. 

Its experts examine physical, biological, and chemical evidence from crime scenes after which then generate forensic reports to support criminal investigations and court trials.

The lab is structured into specialised divisions and is staffed with forensic chemists, medical technologists, molecular biologists and DNA analysts, licensed doctors with medico-legal expertise.

Equipment

Dozens of highly specialised equipment are used in the lab. Public domain documents show that as of 2020, the lab equipment include four units of forensic comparison microscope, eight units of gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, a genetic DNA analyser, three units of rapid portable DNA analyser, three units of minifuge, and 2 units of  nucleic acid purification system. 

The lab is also equipped with four units of real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment, a refrigerated microcentrifuge, an automated extractor machine, and two units of nucleic acid purification system.

Personnel undergo continuous training in the newest forensic methods and technologies, according to the PNP.

The acquisition of hi-end technical instruments such as rapid DNA analysers, comparison microscope units, portable chemical detectors and document analysers has enhanced its technical capabilities. 

This is complemented by hiring some of the best young minds in the country, providing needed personnel to the lab's strength. 

Sabungeros' saga

In the dark and twisting saga of the missing sabungeros, the Philippine government has finally unleashed its full investigative arsenal — a sweeping deployment of forensic teams, law enforcement, and state-backed resources in pursuit of long-buried truths.

At the heart of this unfolding drama is a race against time and decay. The promise of justice now hinges on science — and the steady hands of Filipino DNA experts. 

If they succeed, it won’t just solve a case; it could restore faith in the nation’s justice system. This is their moment to shine — not in the lab’s sterile glare, but in the harsh light of a grieving country’s demand for answers.

Accuracy of DNA testing

DNA Profiling

Forensic scientists focus on specific DNA regions called Short Tandem Repeats (STRs), which are highly variable between individuals. In cases where DNA is highly degraded, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) —inherited only from the mother — is analysed, as it persists longer in bones.

Reliability: DNA testing for forensic identification is extremely accurate when performed and interpreted correctly. The probability of two unrelated individuals sharing the same DNA profile at all tested STR regions is extremely low — often cited as 1 in a billion or less under optimal conditions.

Court Admissibility: Courts generally accept DNA evidence because of its proven accuracy, especially when procedures follow strict chain-of-custody and laboratory standards.