MAJORITY of the “skeletal remains” recovered from the Taal Lake are “most likely” non-human based on its physical characteristics, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Forensic Group said Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
In a press conference, PNP Forensic Group DNA Laboratory Division officer-in-charge Lieutenant Colonel Edmar dela Torre said a total of 91 pieces of bones have been turned over to them amid the ongoing search and retrieval operations in the Taal Lake as part of the investigation on the missing sabungeros’ (cockfighting enthusiasts) case.
Of the 91, only six are possibly human remains.
Dela Torre said the human bones will undergo examination for the generation of DNA samples, which may take five to seven days.
“We need to make it clear to the people na very challenging kasi considering submerged siya (bones) sa tubig… It does matter kaya nga sinasabi namin but regardless madali or mahirap kunin, isa-subject pa rin namin sa examination just to be transparent na ito ‘yung ginagawa namin,” he said.
(We need to make it clear to the people that it’s very challenging because the bones are submerged in water… It does matter, which is why we’re saying this, but regardless of whether it’s easy or difficult to retrieve, we will still subject them to examination just to be transparent about the work we’re doing.)
Dela Torre said the DNA samples, which will be lifted from the recovered human bones from the Taal Lake, will be crossed-match to the DNA samples provided by the relatives, particularly parents or children, of the missing sabungeros.
He said that so far, 18 family members of the 34 missing sabungeros have submitted DNA samples.
Dela Torre said the crossmatching of the DNA samples will take another five to seven days.
Last week, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), after it was tapped by the Department of Justice (DOJ), started deploying technical divers for the conduct of search and retrieval operations at the Taal Lake, where the remains of the missing sabungeros were believed to be dumped based on the claims of accused-turned-whistleblower Julie Patidongan. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)