GMA News
Taal Lake ops for missing sabungeros suspended due to bad weather
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has again suspended its search operations in Taal Lake for missing "sabungeros" (cockfight enthusiasts) due to inclement weather, after having resumed them over the weekend.
The operation, which utilizes technical divers, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and an aerial drone, stems from information given by a whistleblower that over 100 sabungeros were abducted, killed, and dumped at Taal Lake.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed that two sacks of human remains have been recovered and transported to the PNP forensic group for DNA cross-matching, with twelve family members having provided DNA samples.
Remulla also stated that the government is investigating up to 30 individuals who may be connected to the case.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) will be the sole agency authorized to release official information regarding the recovery efforts.
The discovery of human remains in the lake, identified as the potential dumping site of the missing sabungeros, is negatively impacting local fishers, particularly the demand for tawilis, with harvests decreasing and prices increasing.
Malacañang announced the suspension of classes and work in government offices in several regions, including Batangas, due to the weather.
Topics in this story
Explore more stories about these topics.
🤖
This story was generated by AI to help you understand the key points. For more detailed coverage, please see the news articles from trusted media outlets below.
News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed that two of the four sacks recovered from Taal Lake by the Philippine Coast Guard contained human remains, specifically ribs.
+1
Read more →
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to search for missing sabungeros in Taal Lake.
+2
Read more →
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is expediting the forensic examination of items retrieved from Taal Lake, including those found in five sacks by the Philippine Coast Guard.
Read more →
A local resident, Aling Bebang, has identified sacks recovered from Taal Lake as weights for fish cages, not evidence of foul play in the disappearance of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts.
Read more →
The PNP Forensic Group (PNP FG) is investigating the origin of three bone fragments recovered from Taal Lake, distinguishing them from six other fragments previously identified as likely human.
+2
Read more →