Nicolas Torre III, PNP Chief, Speaks on Search Retrieval Ops over Missing Sabungeros Case
PNP CHIEF – Philippine National Police chief Nicolas Torre III confirmed that a mixture of animal and human bones were among those found in Taal Lake.
Countless Filipinos were surprised when a “whistleblower” claimed that around a hundred cockfighting enthusiasts were allegedly thrown in Taal Lake. His claim is in line with the case of the 34 missing sabungeros whose families remain in the call for justice.
The whistleblower, alias Totoy, implicated the name of Chinese-Filipino businessman Atong Ang as the alleged mastermind behind the killing of the cockfighting enthusiasts. Another whistleblower claimed that Atong Ang allegedly paid up to P2 million to some police for the killing of the sabungeros. The authorities immediately conducted investigation in Taal Lake.
Aside from Ang, former actress Gretchen Barretto was also named as allegedly one of the individuals behind the death of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts. The Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that the former actress is now considered a suspect following the claim of the whistleblower.
It is no secret to the Filipino people that Ang and Barretto are close to each other. She is known as one of the close associates of the Chinese-Filipino businessman in his online sabong business. According to one of the whistleblowers, the former actress is one of the members of the so-called “alpha group” and she allegedly agreed to dealing with the cheating sabungeros.
Atong Ang previously denied his allegedly involvement in the case of the missing sabungeros. According to him, his accuser is allegedly after money. On the part of Gretchen Barretto, the whistleblower claimed that the former actress is allegedly one of those who raised her hand in the proposal over the cheating sabungeros.
Amid the investigation of the Taal Lake, sacks with bones were retrieved. Recently, PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III confirmed that human bones were among those found in Taal Lake. Based on a report on Inquirer, he stressed that they got a mixture of bones composed of both animal and human remains.
“We recovered animal remains; there’s also human, and they’re all mixed, so we are looking into it and we are processing and differentiating if the bones are animal or human in origin,” the PNP Chief said.
Based on the report, PNP chief Nicolas Torre stressed that there’s a farm in the area, thus, it is not surprising to find animal bones. He emphasized that Taal is a place of farming ‘so everything is there’. According to PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, the DNA samples of 12 relatives of the missing cockfight enthusiasts have already been collected.
Through her lawyer, Gretchen Barretto also denied her alleged involvement in the killing of the cockfight enthusiasts.