Let’s now get an update on what the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said regarding the discovery of human remains in Taal Lake. We have an on-the-spot report from Ian Cruz.

Ian: Yes, Cony. It was confirmed by PNP Chief General Nicolas Torre III that both human and animal remains were recovered from Taal Lake during the ongoing search for the missing sabungeros (cockfighters).

The remains retrieved were a mixture, which is why part of the investigation is determining whether the recovered bones belong to humans or animals. Some of the bones have already been brought to the PNP crime lab for further examination.

He added that they already have DNA samples from the relatives of several missing sabungeros, which will make the cross-matching process faster. However, he could not give a definite timeline yet due to possible complications that might arise during the process.

The PNP has also instructed the crime labs in Batangas and Calabarzon to move forward with operations in the Taal Lake area so that recovered items from the scuba divers can be quickly transported for analysis. As for further details, he said questions should be directed to the Department of Justice (DOJ), since they are leading the Whole-of-Government Approach in this case.

Meanwhile, according to Police Brigadier General Gan Pahardo, the PNP spokesperson, DNA samples have already been collected from the families of 34 missing sabungeros. If a match is found with the remains, it would be a major breakthrough in the case.

The PNP also confirmed that they are continuing to provide protection to the whistleblower Julie Donon Patidongan, also known as Totoy. The PNP is committed to ensuring Totoy’s safety so that this case can be resolved.

They are also supporting Totoy’s move to file an administrative case with the Commission on Human Rights (CHRP) against police officers. Totoy has alleged that one of the police officers involved is the owner of a fish pond in Taal Lake. This is now under investigation, especially since Totoy is currently submitting his sworn statement to the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM).