Philippine Police Recover 1,400 Bone Fragments in Search for Missing Men Linked to Gambling Tycoon

• Investigators recover 1,400 bone fragments from volcanic Lake Taal
• Police probe disappearance of 34 cockfighting industry workers
• Fugitive gambling tycoon linked to allegations of mass killings

Investigators in the Philippines say they have found 1,400 human bone fragments in a volcanic lake around 50 miles south of the capital Manila.

Authorities are investigating the disappearance of at least 34 sabungeros – men closely associated with the country’s cockfighting industry – who went missing without a trace in 2021 and 2022.

All of the men vanished from Manila and nearby provinces. All were gamefowl handlers, aides, helpers, or drivers involved in e-sabong, which streams cockfights online for betting.

Ang on the Lam

At the same time, police are hunting gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang, who runs e-sabong company Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc. and is the prime suspect in the disappearances.

His former security chief Julie “Dondon” Patogan, who is also in custody, has claimed the sabongeros were killed on Ang’s orders to set an example and prevent match-fixing, which was damaging his profits.

Patogan alleges there were more than 100 victims whose bodies were dumped in Lake Taal, a deep, wide volcanic lake in the Province of Batangas.

Identification Challenging

In a press conference earlier this week, Philippine National Police Forensic Group director Pierre Paul Carpio said forensic teams had been searching in the lake since July 2025, and the human remains had undergone medical-legal examination, anthropological analysis, radiographic imaging, dental examination, and DNA testing.

However, identification efforts remain challenging because of the acidic water in the lake, which has affected the condition of the bones, Carpio said. He added that the temperature of the water, which is between 84.2°F and 95°F, further degrades DNA evidence.

Ang became a fugitive from justice after Philippine courts issued multiple non-bailable warrants for his arrest in January. He faces charges of kidnapping with homicide and serious illegal detention. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Cultural Norm

Cockfighting has been part of Philippine culture for centuries. The contests typically pit specially bred roosters against one another in fights that often end in death, with razor-sharp blades attached to their legs.

The government initially moved to regulate and tax the industry. However, then-President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a nationwide ban on e-sabong in 2022 amid the scandal that followed the disappearances.