PCG resumes Taal Lake search, uses ROV; DOJ, PNP assist

Early Thursday morning, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) began technical dives and site assessments at Taal Lake in Batangas for the search of missing cockfighting enthusiasts.

On Friday, July 11, and Saturday, July 12, the PCG recovered more sacks containing remains during diving operations near the lake's shore, raising hopes for a breakthrough in the investigation.

The Coast Guard on Sunday released underwater video footage showing their search and retrieval operation, highlighting challenges such as murky water, strong currents, and depths up to 21.8 meters.

Starting Monday, July 14, the PCG will use advanced underwater equipment including a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to intensify search efforts.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), together with the PCG and PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), continues to assess potential search sites based on information from informants.

On Saturday, PCG divers recovered two sacks containing remains as they continued their search for missing sabungeros allegedly buried in the area near Laurel, Batangas.

The DOJ confirmed that the remains retrieved will undergo DNA testing to determine if they belong to some of the 34 cockfighting enthusiasts who went missing between April 2021 and January 2022 across various areas in Luzon.