No DNA extracted from bones recovered from Taal
The 91 bone fragments recovered separately from Taal Lake three weeks ago did not yield enough DNA material to tell forensic investigators whether they were even from animals or humans, much less from the “e-sabungeros” who had gone missing, the Philippine National Police said on Thursday.
“Accordingly, we could no longer extract any DNA profiles from the bones. It was already contaminated,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said at a briefing in Camp Crame. “The challenge there is that they were submerged for a long time.”
On Wednesday, more bone fragments were recovered from the lake, Fajardo said without giving details.
As part of the PNP Forensic Group’s procedures, the bone fragments recovered were first dried up to extract DNA profiles.
The DNA profiles, among other things, tell the forensic investigators whether the bones are from animals or humans.
Once DNA profiles are generated from the bones, these are matched with the DNA samples given by family members of the missing persons. This stage in the investigation could not be reached as there were no DNA profiles to work with.
Others from cemetery
The PNP and the Philippine Coast Guard are searching for the remains of at least 34 people linked to online cockfighting who were allegedly killed for cheating in the game and their bodies placed in sacks and dumped in the lake from 2021 to 2022.
The skeletal remains exhumed from a cemetery in Laurel near the Taal Lake yielded the DNA profiles of two males and one female, according to Fajardo.
“However, it’s a negative when it comes to the matching of the pieces with the 23 DNA references of those who came forward from the families of the sabungeros and provided DNA profiles,” Fajardo said.
Of the 91 bone fragments earlier recovered, 45 were found in one sack on July 10 and 46 more were recovered in the fourth and fifth sacks found in the lake on July 12. On July 15, the PNP Forensic Group said six may be human bones.
The authorities had been led to Taal Lake in Batangas by Julie “Dondon” Patidongan (Alias Totoy), who is among several men accused in the abduction of one group that went missing. He alleged that those who had disappeared were killed on orders of gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang, who denied his accusation and sued Patidongan for slander and grave threats and coercion, and other criminal charges.
Brothers in custody
Two of Patidongan’s brothers, Jose and Elakim Patidongan, were taken into custody after they were found in a “Southeast Asian country,” the PNP said also on Thursday.
The siblings could be the “missing link” in the case of the alleged abductions and killings of the missing e-sabungeros.
Police Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz was still serving as the chief of the PNP Criminal and Investigation Group (CIDG) when he received a tip last June 23 that the two brothers were seeking refuge in a country in Southeast Asia, Fajardo said in a press briefing on Wednesday. She declined to say in which country the two men were found.
‘Missing link’
The CIDG brought them back to the Philippines on July 22.
“We believe they are the missing link in the case of the missing sabungeros,” she said.
Police believe that Jose Patidongan was one of two men caught on video hustling victim Michael Bautista away in handcuffs in Santa Cruz, Laguna, on April 28, 2021, according to Fajardo.
Elakim Patidongan was believed to be the individual who withdrew money from the bank account of Melbert Santos, who was last seen alive—also in Santa Cruz—on Jan.13, 2022, she said.
Fajardo said Jose Patidongan will be committed to New Bilibid Prison after the police found that he had an outstanding arrest warrant for a robbery case in which he was convicted by the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court Branch 208.
Relations not mentioned
Elakim Patidongan was found with a passport bearing the name “Robert Baylon.”
He remains under the custody of the CIDG.
Fajardo recalled that Julie Patidongan claimed that the man who was caught on video escorting Bautista in handcuffs and the man who withdrew from Santos’ bank account were both his associates.
“He did not mention that they were his brothers,” she said.
Asked whether this meant that Patidongan was no longer a reliable source, Fajardo replied: “It’s not for me to say whether he is credible or not. It’s up to the appreciation of the prosecution and of course the court.”
“The National Prosecution Service has already given an initial recommendation and we still have other evidence and other requirements that we need to submit to them,” she said. “Clearly, there is direction in the ongoing investigation by the PNP.”
