2021–2022 Luzon sabungero disappearances
| 2021–2022 Luzon sabungero disappearances | |
|---|---|
| Part of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines | |
| Location | Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Manila, and Rizal, Philippines |
| Date | April 28, 2021 – January 13, 2022 (PHT, UTC+8) |
| Target | Sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) |
Attack type |
|
| Deaths | 100+ (alleged) |
| Victims | 34 (known victims) |
| Perpetrators | Unknown |
| Motive | Unknown; possibly dishonesty of sabungeros at cockfighting tournaments |
Between April 2021 and January 2022, at least 34 cockfighting enthusiasts, or sabungeros (sg. sabungero from Filipino sabong, meaning "cockfight"), went missing from various areas of Luzon, Philippines. Most of the disappearances occurred in Laguna, where 19 of the missing are from, but other cases were also reported in Batangas, Bulacan, Manila, and Rizal. At least one sabungero was confirmed to have been kidnapped. The victims have been referred to by the media as the missing sabungeros, sparking national media attention.
Almost nothing was known about the disappearances until June 2025, when a suspect came forward to authorities, claiming that the individuals may have been killed and disposed of in Taal Lake. The suspect further alleged that nearly 100 people were killed—far more than the 34 initially reported. The suspect also implicated businessman Atong Ang and former actress Gretchen Barretto in the abductions of the sabungeros, though both denied any involvement in the case. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced that they would review and investigate the allegation as part of their ongoing investigation.