It started with one man not coming home from a cockfight. Then another. And another. By the time authorities began connecting the dots, dozens of sabungeros—cockfighting enthusiasts—had mysteriously vanished across Luzon. What followed was one of the most baffling and disturbing cases in recent Philippine history, filled with silence, suspicion, and a string of unanswered questions.
More than a year later, the puzzle of the missing sabungeros remains largely unsolved.
The Disappearances: Too Many Coincidences
Between 2021 and early 2022, at least 34 men went missing in separate incidents, all tied in some way to the e-sabong industry—online cockfighting that flourished during the pandemic.
Each case followed an eerily similar pattern:
- The men were last seen near cockfighting arenas.
- Some were captured on CCTV being abducted.
- No ransom was ever demanded.
- None of the victims were ever found.
The sheer number of cases, combined with the victims' shared connection to gambling, quickly raised suspicions of a broader scheme at play.
The Industry Behind the Mystery
At the height of its popularity, e-sabong generated billions in revenue, drawing in bettors, financiers, and syndicates. While the government eventually banned the practice in 2022 due to social and criminal concerns, the damage had already been done.
Sources say that some missing sabungeros may have been involved in disputes over money, debts, or match-fixing. Others were suspected of holding sensitive knowledge about operations that certain powerful players didn’t want exposed.
A Turn in the Case: Totoy’s Testimony
The case remained cold until mid-2025, when a man known only as “Totoy” came forward with a chilling confession. In a signed statement to the Department of Justice, he claimed:
- He was part of a group that abducted, killed, and disposed of sabungeros.
- Victims were strangled and dumped into Taal Lake, their bodies weighed down with sandbags.
- The operation involved dozens of others, including police officers and individuals linked to a mysterious group he called “Alpha.”
Totoy’s account shifted the case from a series of isolated disappearances to what may be a calculated and large-scale execution operation.
Search and Investigation
Following Totoy’s revelations, authorities launched search operations in Taal Lake—a deep, murky body of water formed by a volcanic crater. Despite days of diving and the deployment of sonar equipment, no remains have been recovered. Investigators are now seeking assistance from foreign agencies to continue the search with more advanced underwater technology.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Department of Justice (DOJ) have opened parallel investigations, some of which focus on officers possibly involved in the crimes. The DOJ has requested full cooperation from the Supreme Court to guard against judicial interference.
Unresolved Questions
Despite the breakthroughs, many questions remain:
- Why were these specific men targeted?
- Who gave the orders—and who financed the operation?
- Was this truly about gambling, or is something deeper involved?
- Why hasn’t anyone been held accountable?
Totoy’s testimony provides a disturbing blueprint, but without physical evidence or more witnesses, the case still lacks prosecutable certainty. Some fear that key players may never be exposed due to influence, money, or fear.
The Families Left Behind
For the families of the missing sabungeros, the wait has been agonizing. With no bodies to bury and no confirmed deaths, they live in a painful limbo—caught between hope and despair.
“They weren’t criminals. They were sons, husbands, and fathers,” one wife said during a recent Senate hearing. “We just want to know what happened. We want justice.”
Conclusion: A Case Still Unsolved
The vanished sabungeros are more than just a mystery—they are a test of the country’s capacity for truth and justice. What began as a puzzling string of disappearances has evolved into a case that exposes cracks in law enforcement, questions the power of gambling networks, and suggests that silence itself may be enforced from above.
Until the full picture emerges—until bodies are found and names are held accountable—the puzzle remains unsolved. And the families, along with the country, continue to ask:
What really happened to the missing sabungeros?