Some killers may be in both drug war, e-sabong slays, says SOJ

Some people who have been involved in the "death squads" that figured in the drug war under the past administration may also be involved in the deaths related to the e-sabong or online cockfights during the pandemic, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Monday.

However, he said there was still a need to establish clearer links between the two.

“I think that the death squads... the people who undertake the contractual killings may intersect somehow with the drug war and with the e-sabong. May mga taong parang involved sa pagpatay sa drug war at sa e-sabong,” Remulla said in a briefing.

(The people who undertake the contractual killings may intersect somehow with the drug war and with the e-sabong. Some people seem to be involved in the killings both in the drug war and e-sabong.)

The secretary cited an arrest in Meycauayan where the drug suspects arrested were allegedly intertwined in e-sabong operations.

“Meron talagang nagkaroon ng isang incident na napagtagpi natin, napagdikit natin ‘yung dalawang kaso na ‘yan. And it happened in Meycauayan in a gas station there. Nagkaroon ng arrest diyan ng dalawang tao na nakakulong ngayon sa Batangas,” Remulla said.

(There was indeed an incident where we were able to connect those two cases. And it happened in Meycauayan at a gas station. Two people were arrested there who are now detained in Batangas.)

This comes as authorities search the Taal Lake, where whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan claimed the bodies of the 34 missing sabungeros were thrown.

Remulla said it appeared that Taal Lake has become a place to dispose of human remains.

“Mukhang nakasanayan nang nag tapon talaga doon. It has already become a place to dispose of human remains. Parang ganun ang nangyayari,” he said.

(It seems it has become a habit to dump there. It has already become a place to dispose of human remains. That’s what seems to be happening.)

Last week, authorities retrieved a sack containing what appeared to be burnt human bones. The day after, authorities recovered more sacks from the lakebed.

Philippine National Police chief Police General Nicolas Torre III earlier said some of the recovered bones were human remains.

According to Remulla, they will also tap Dr. Raquel Fortun, one of the only two forensic pathologists in the country. Fortun recently reminded authorities to handle the retrieved sacks and their contents with care.

“She is being touted or being asked to head the Philippine Forensics Institution, which we are establishing. And she will be helping us. She will be helping us,” Remulla said.

Remulla, meanwhile, brushed off allegations that the sacks had been planted.

“Kalokohan ‘yan. This country is full of politics and troll farms that they also always want to spoil whatever good things we can do as a country. And that’s part of politics. If that’s the politics they want to practice, so be it,” Remulla said.

(That’s nonsense. This country is full of politics and troll farms that they also always want to spoil whatever good things we can do as a country. And that’s part of politics. If that’s the politics they want to practice, so be it.) –NB, GMA Integrated News