SEARCH IS ON. Divers from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) surface during search operations at Taal Lake in Batangas on Thursday (July 10, 2025). The PCG began technical dives and site assessment at the lake as part of the search for the 34 missing “sabungeros” allegedly buried in the lake. (Photo courtesy of PCG)
TheMindanaoToday.com | PCG begins search for missing ‘sabungeros’ at Taal Lake
By: Raymond Carl Dela Cruz and Benjamin Pulta
MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday began technical dives and site assessment at the Taal Lake in Batangas for the search for the missing “sabungeros” (cockfighting enthusiasts).
In a situation report, PCG District Southern Tagalog (CGDSTL) Commander, Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, said the staging area, command post, and aerial drones to be used in the operation are already in place.
“We have equipment in place and we have initially established a staging area last night at ang mga hakbang kung paano ang gagawin (and what steps we need to take) about the underwater operations,” Tuvilla said.
Tuvilla has been tasked to oversee all operational and tactical control, including providing operational guidance to ensure personnel safety and address environmental factors.
To date, 11 technical divers have arrived at Taal Lake, with a total of 33 divers expected to participate in the search.
“Layon nitong tukuyin ang mga ‘lead’ ng imbestigasyon na nagsasabing posibleng itinapon sa lawa ang mga biktima (The operation aims to investigate the lead that the bodies of victims were possibly thrown into the lake),” he said.
The operation is in response to a formal request from Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday for the mobilization and deployment of specialized PCG units, including support teams, to augment the DOJ’s investigation.
The search is an inter-agency operation among the DOJ, PCG, and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In June, whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, alias Totoy, one of six security guards accused of abducting the 34 missing sabungeros, offered to cooperate in the investigation.
He claimed that the victims were murdered through strangulation using a tie wire and were thrown into the lake.
Step in the right direction
DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said the search for the remains of the missing “sabungeros” based on the information shared by a whistleblower is a “step in the right direction.”
“Kailangan po kasi natin ifocus yung search natin sa mas maliit na area kasi kung titingnan po natin, 234 square kilometers itong Taal Lake, kaya kailangan natin gawing mas focus ang search natin (We need to focus our search on a smaller area because if we look at Taal Lake, it’s 234 square kilometers, so we need to make our search more focused),” Clavano said in a media interview.
“This is the first time, I believe, na four years na po ang pagitan ng pagkawala ng mga tao (that there has been four years since these people disappeared) and we hope that we can find something that will at least lead us in the right direction.”
Clavano said they have received advice from experts on how they would do the search for the remains of the missing “sabungeros.”
“We are confident. We cannot say for certain kung gaano ka confident po tayo, pero it is worth the effort, it is worth looking into kaya kasi po sinasabi po natin na lahat po ng information na nakuha natin kailangan natin ivalidate. Hindi naman po pwedeng may information tayong nakuha wala tayong gagawin (We cannot say for certain how confident we are, but it is worth the effort, it is worth looking into, that’s why we say that we need to validate all the information we get. We can’t just have information and do nothing),” he said.
”Ito po ay isang investigation na dati po wala tayong leads. Ngayon po na lumutang ang isang testigo at all-in na po ang gobyerno dito mas marami na pong lumapit pa na informants so this is a step in the right direction sa tingin po natin but we will not stop here. Hindi lang naman po ito ang lead natin pero isa sya sa pinaka malaking lead (This is an investigation that we previously had no leads for. Now that a witness has surfaced and the government is all-in on this, more informants have come forward so this is a step in the right direction in our opinion, but we will not stop here. This is not our only lead, but it is one of the biggest leads),” he added. (PNA)
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