Nelson Morales

Missing sabungeros' kin urge government to begin diving ops in Taal Lake

Article (news)

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Relatives of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts or &quot;sabungeros&quot;  are calling on the government to begin diving operations in Taal Lake, where a witness claimed the victims&#x27; bodies had been dumped.</p><p>According to Aurelio Panaligan, uncle of the two youngest missing sabungeros, technical divers should start diving to retrieve the victims’ remains if it was true that they were buried in Taal Lake, as the witness stated.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/25/pcg-divers-prep-for-retrieval-of-missing-sabungeros-in-taal-lake-1438">PCG divers prep for retrieval of missing &#x27;sabungeros&#x27; in Taal Lake</a></div><p>“Sana po ay bigyan nyo na ng aksyon na masisid na po talaga ang aming mga mahal sa buhay kung talagang doon sila andoon,&quot; said Panaligan.</p><p>(We hope they act on this and send divers to see if our loved pnes&#x27; remains are there)</p><p>Among the victims are cousins Myson Ramos, 14, and John Paul Ramos, 17, nephews of Aurelio. </p><p>They went missing at a cockfighting arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, in December 2021.</p><p>Aurelio also appealed to the Department of Justice to protect the area in Taal Lake where the victims were allegedly dumped.</p><p>&quot;Sana po yung prosesong ginagawa nila ngayon, bagama&#x27;t talagang idinadaan po sa tamang proseso eh sana magawa na rin po sa lalong madaling panahon, dahil sabi nga po malalaking tao ang may kinalaman baka po may ginagawa ng paraan &#x27;yun lang po ang aming iniisip,&quot; Aurelio added.</p><p>(I hope that even though there is a proper process, that they can start as soon as possible. They say there are big people behind this and they may be trying to cover this up)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/6/26/navy-ready-to-help-search-taal-lake-for-sabungeros-remains-1313">Navy ready to help search Taal Lake for sabungeros’ remains</a></div><p>They are also urging the witness to reveal everything he knows about who is behind the disappearance of the sabungeros.</p><p>Aurelio also appealed to the female celebrity allegedly involved in the victims’ disappearance to cooperate with authorities.</p><p>They also called on Police Gen. Nicolas Torre III to act on the case.</p><p>&quot;Sana po kayo na ang  PNP Chief na tututok at magsasara ng usaping ito at magtutuldok sa kanila,&quot; he added.</p><p>(We hope that you will be the PNP chief who will close this case)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RnjjAF8ClPs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Relatives of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts or "sabungeros" are calling on the government to begin diving operations in Taal Lake, where a witness claimed the victims' bodies had been dumped.</p>

Relatives of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts or "sabungeros" are calling on the government to begin diving operations in Taal Lake, where a witness claimed the victims' bodies had been dumped.