It began with a brazen abduction caught on CCTV. On August 30, 2021, a group of armed men posing as NBI agents stormed the home of sabong master agent Ricardo “John-John” Lasco in Laguna, dragging him away in front of his family. This single act of violence was the first visible thread of a horrifying conspiracy that would unravel to reveal a nationwide massacre, a chilling disposal method in a volcanic lake, and a powerful gaming tycoon at the center of it all.

The case of the missing sabungeros (cockfighters) has become one of the most complex and terrifying criminal investigations in recent Philippine history. Following Lasco’s abduction, more reports flooded in. In January 2022, six more men were snatched from the Manila Arena. Soon, the number of missing persons grew to an official count of 34, all connected to the lucrative and high-stakes world of E-Sabong (online cockfighting). The prevailing theory was that these men were targeted for alleged game-fixing, a cardinal sin in an industry where bets could reach billions of pesos.

For years, the investigation moved at a glacial pace, hampered by fear and, as some suspected, corruption. Despite the victims’ families identifying active police officers among the abductors, the initial punishments were shockingly lenient. But the case was blown wide open when a key suspect, fearing for his life, decided to turn state witness.

Initially known as “Totoy,” the whistleblower was later identified as Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, the former chief of security for the fighting cock farms of the alleged mastermind. In a bombshell Senate testimony, Patidongan confirmed the public’s worst fears: all the missing men are dead.

His confession detailed a brutal and systematic operation. He claimed that individuals suspected of cheating were targeted, abducted by teams often involving corrupt police officers, strangled with wire, and then silenced forever. In a horrifying twist, Patidongan revealed their bodies were weighted down with sandbags and dumped into the depths of Taal Lake. Experts note that the volcanic caldera of Taal Lake is a near-perfect disposal site; deep below the surface, the water is hot and filled with solvents capable of dissolving human remains, making recovery almost impossible.

The most explosive part of his testimony was naming the alleged mastermind: Charlie “Atong” Ang, a wealthy and influential gaming tycoon. Patidongan claimed that Ang, along with his top associates, ran the operation. He alleged that when a cheater was identified, Ang and his team would hire police officers to “dispatch” them. He even claimed that Ang’s long-time partner, actress Gretchen Barretto, was aware of the criminal enterprise.

The confession has placed Patidongan’s life in extreme danger. He claims the Ang camp first offered him ₱300 million to recant his testimony, and when he refused, a ₱50 million bounty was placed on his head. He stated he only came forward because he trusted the integrity of the new PNP Chief, General Benjamin Acorda Jr., believing he was a man Ang couldn’t “buy.”

Atong Ang and his legal team have vehemently denied all accusations. They have filed counter-charges against Patidongan, painting him as an extortionist who demanded ₱300 million in exchange for his silence. As the legal battle rages, the families of 34 men are left to grapple with the horrifying knowledge that their loved ones likely lie dissolved at the bottom of a volcanic lake, with no bodies to bury and no grave to visit. The case has exposed the brutal underbelly of the online gambling world and a criminal conspiracy that reaches into the highest echeltons of power and wealth.