Manila: Prosecutors have issued subpoenas to 60 individuals implicated in the case of the missing cockfight enthusiasts, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Wednesday. 'Subpoenas have been issued from the preliminary report given by the National Prosecution Service as against the 59 or 60 respondents in the case of the missing sabungeros,' DOJ spokesperson Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said in a televised interview.

According to Philippines News Agency, Clavano stated that due to the large number of individuals involved, the process of serving subpoenas is ongoing. 'Dahil po marami 'yan sila (Since this involves quite a few people) and we usually serve that personally, the service is still ongoing. So, nagsimula po tayo mag-serve ng subpoenas kahapon at ngayon po nagpapatuloy po tayo sa pag-serve ng mga subpoenas na 'yun (So we started yesterday and we continue to serve the subpoenas today),' he added.

Clavano confirmed that among those subpoenaed to provide their side is gaming tycoon Charlie 'Atong' Ang. 'He would have been served already with the subpoena. I'm not sure if nasama po s'ya sa first batch or sa second batch today (he was in the first batch or in the second batch served),' he said.

In a related development, the Philippine Coast Guard has retrieved another set of human remains from the bed of Taal Lake, Clavano reported. 'We are again coming up with an updated inventory and this will all go through the DNA testing which we have been doing since the start of the operation,' he said.

Whistleblower Julie Patidongan previously alleged that a group of 20 individuals, supposedly in control of the cockfighting industry, ordered the killing of the 'sabungeros'. He also claimed that the remains of the victims were disposed of in Taal Lake.