Law Enforcement in the Philippines Scour Lake in Search of 34 Missing Cockfighting Employees
In the Philippines, the search for missing cockfighting workers, known as sabungeros, has intensified as authorities focus their efforts on Taal Lake. The investigation, led by President Marcos, targets suspected perpetrators, including police officers and gambling syndicates, allegedly involved in abductions and murders linked to cheating in online cockfighting.
Key details of the case include:
- Missing Workers: At least 34 sabungeros have been reported missing since 2021-2022, with allegations suggesting as many as 100 victims may exist.
- Search Efforts: Divers have retrieved burned human bones from Taal Lake, and forensic and DNA tests are ongoing to determine their identities.
- Accused Parties: Whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patindongan has implicated gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang and police officers in ordering abductions and killings to cover up match-fixing scandals in online cockfighting.
- Legal Actions: Families of the missing sabungeros have filed criminal complaints against Ang and others for multiple serious offenses including murder, illegal detention, and obstruction of justice. Ang denies these accusations.
- Law Enforcement Response: Twelve police officers linked to the case have been suspended for 90 days to protect the investigation's integrity and safeguard witnesses.
The domestic cockfighting industry in the Philippines is culturally ingrained and is worth over US$1 billion, according to the Philippine Games and Amusement Board. Cockfighting involves birds fighting to death with hooked razors attached to their talons. The Philippines hosts the annual World Slasher Cup, known as "the Olympics of Cockfighting."
The e-sabong industry experienced a surge in popularity during the pandemic, when many live venues were closed. However, the government briefly taxed and regulated e-sabong, before then-President Rodrigo Duterte later banned it. The animals are often injected with steroids to increase their fighting potential.
Six security guards at the Manilla Arena have been charged with kidnapping the missing men, who were all gamefowl handlers, aides, helpers, or vehicle drivers in the e-sabong industry. Reports suggest the motive for the abductions may be retribution against a criminal gambling syndicate.
Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla announced that the search for human remains in Taal Lake would continue in the coming days. He stated that it is important to seek the truth in cases like this, as reported by the BBC. The investigation remains active with government coordination to resolve the disappearances and address alleged corruption and violence in the e-sabong industry.
[1] BBC News, "Philippines: Search for missing cockfight workers continues," https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-60525475 [2] Rappler, "Taal Lake search for missing cockfight workers continues," https://www.rappler.com/nation/685620-taal-lake-search-for-missing-cockfight-workers-continues [3] ABS-CBN News, "Whistleblower implicates gambling tycoon, police in cockfighting killings," https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/08/23/whistleblower-implicates-gambling-tycoon-police-in-cockfighting-killings [4] GMA News, "12 police officers linked to cockfighting case suspended," https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/837314/12-police-officers-linked-to-cockfighting-case-suspended/story/ [5] CNN Philippines, "Ang denies involvement in cockfighting workers' disappearances," https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/2/16/Ang-denies-involvement-in-cockfighting-workers-disappearances.html
- The investigation into the disappearances of e-sabong workers, known as sabungeros, in the Philippines, led by President Marcos, now includes allegations of match-fixing scandals and cover-ups involving gambling tycoon Charlie "Atong" Ang and corrupt police officers.
- The ongoing search for missing e-sabong workers in Taal Lake, which has resulted in the retrieval of burned human bones, is significant in the general-news arena, with concerns about politics and crime-and-justice at the forefront.
- The e-sabong industry, while culturally ingrained in the Philippines and worth over US$1 billion, has been embroiled in a match-fixing scandal and multiple serious offenses, including murder and obstruction of justice, as authorities uncover evidence of suspected perpetrators.
- The recent surge in popularity of e-sabong during the pandemic, and the government's response to regulate and eventually ban it, has raised questions about the legitimacy of the gambling crime landscape in the Philippines and the desperate measures taken by those involved in the industry.
(References: [1] BBC News, [2] Rappler, [3] ABS-CBN News, [4] GMA News, [5] CNN Philippines)
