DOJ to vet claims that missing sabungeros buried in Taal Lake

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday they will vet the claims of one of the accused that the missing sabungeros are already dead and buried in Taal Lake.

"Ibe-vet natin, pag-aaralan natin 'yung sinasabi niya kasi may hawak naman kaming ibang testigo (We will vet his claims, we will study his statement because we have other witnesses)," Remulla told reporters.

He said they would need technical divers to check the claims of the accused.

"Marahil kailangan ng technical diver diyan para madetermine natin ang veracity ng information. We will need technical divers to do it kasi  malalim din 'yan and it is not easy to go into a lake bed to look for human remains," the Justice secretary said. 

(Maybe we need a technical diver to determine the veracity of the information. We will need technical divers to do it because Taal Lake  is deep and it is not easy to go into a lake bed to look for human remains.)

According to Emil Sumangil's exclusive report on "24 Oras" on Wednesday, the accused has come forward to testify on all that he knows about what happened to the missing victims.

“Paano mabubuhay 'yan eh nakabaon na 'yan du'n sa Taal Lake. Lahat yan. Kung huhukayin 'yun, mga buto buto, paano natin makilala ang mga 'yun? 'Di lang missing sabungero ang mga 'yun, may iba pang tinatapon du'n, pati drug lord,” Totoy said. 

(How can they be alive if they’re all in Taal Lake? If we dig it up, how will we be able to identify them? The people buried there are not just the missing sabungeros but also a drug lord.)

Remulla said the claims could be credible.

"Kung walang trace talaga, it can be a credible story kasi wala talagang trace e. When you vanish without a trace, it must be somewhere where people have not been able to look, baka hindi na natitignan pa 'yung lugar." he said.

(If there really was no trace, it can be a credible story. When you vanish without a trace, it must be somewhere where people have not been able to look, people have yet to look into that place.)

He said he is ready to talk with anyone who would come forward to tell the truth.

"Marahil kakausapin ko kung sino ang gustong pumunta rito para magsabi ng katotohanan...hindi natin pwedeng pabayaan ito (I will talk to anyone who will come here to tell the truth...we cannot just let it be) and just let it go. We just have to be responsible enough to seek the truth especially in cases like this," he said.

Remulla added the case build up is ongoing.

"Pinag-aaralan pa namin ang maraming bagay at nagke-case build up pa rin kami. Hindi kami tumitigil kasi mahirap magsalang ng kaso na hindi buo so binubuo pa namin ang lahat ng detalye ng kaso," he said

(We are still studying a lot of things and we are still building up the case. We will not stop because it is hard to file a case that is not complete so we are completing all the details of the case.)

The DOJ chief said he understands the sentiments of the families of the missing sabungeros. 

"We cannot set the case aside na we have not exhausted all efforts to locate the human remains. Kinakailangan na magawan ng paraan na mahanap itong mga bangkay o kung anumang labi ng mga nawawalang tao (We need to seek ways to find the remains of the missing sabungeros)," he said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News