The mystery surrounding the missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) has returned to haunt the nation after police pulled human bones from Taal Lake. For many Filipinos, these developments are a painful reminder of families still waiting, years later, for any sign of their loved ones.
The Disappearance That Shook a Community
Back in 2021, people started to notice a troubling pattern: cockfighting aficionados, known as sabungeros, were vanishing. By the following year, more than 30 cases had been reported, mostly in Luzon. Many of these men were involved in e-sabong, the online betting craze that had exploded in popularity and money.
Some blamed the cutthroat world of illegal betting, where big money and dangerous players often meet. There were whispers of unpaid debts, rigged fights, and syndicates ready to silence anyone who got in the way. But for most families, these were just rumors — they had no answers, only empty chairs at dinner tables.
Then, this year, authorities received a tip that led them to Taal Lake. Divers uncovered sacks weighed down with rocks and sandbags. Inside were bones that forensic experts now believe could belong to the missing sabungeros. Families who had been hoping for a miracle were instead met with the grim possibility that their worst fears were true.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla recently suggested that some rogue police officers involved in the drug war may also have had ties to illegal gambling networks, including e-sabong. This hint was enough to push Rodrigo Duterte back into the headlines, just as he faces trial at the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.
Duterte’s Fiery Denial
Duterte wasted no time responding to these new allegations. In his trademark blunt style, he dismissed any link to the missing sabungeros as “preposterous.” According to him, his administration’s focus was purely on fighting drugs, not meddling in cockfighting affairs.
A Long Wait for Justice
For families of the missing sabungeros, politics matter less than finally learning what happened. Investigators are now working to match DNA from the bones to the relatives left behind. Meanwhile, more dives are expected as authorities continue to search for evidence.
If future findings connect these disappearances to criminal networks or even to rogue officers, it could reshape public opinion and affect ongoing legal battles. But for now, families hold on to a painful mix of hope and dread.
