Marilyn Cahatol

Members of the Philippine Coast Guard navigate the waters of Taal Lake in Talisay, Batangas, on Thursday, July 10, 2025, as the multi-agency search continues for the missing 'sabungeros.' Divers are focusing on areas identified as possible dumping sites, including a fishpond area dubbed 'ground zero,' based on witness testimonies.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:604px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175231152140420250710-taal-lake-ph-coast-guard-sabungeros-MT09.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Members of the Philippine Coast Guard navigate the waters of Taal Lake in Talisay, Batangas, on Thursday, July 10, 2025, as the multi-agency search continues for the missing &#x27;sabungeros.&#x27; Divers are focusing on areas identified as possible dumping sites, including a fishpond area dubbed &#x27;ground zero,&#x27; based on witness testimonies.  <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Two more sacks believed to contain human bones were retrieved by technical divers of the Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday during their ongoing search and retrieval operations for the missing cockfighting enthusiasts in Taal Lake, Laurel, Batangas.</p><p>This brought the total number of recovered sacks suspected to contain the remains of the missing victims to five.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/12/doj-recovered-bones-lend-credibility-to-whistleblower-s-claims-1601">DOJ: Recovered bones lend credibility to whistleblower&#x27;s claims</a></div><p>At around 8:00 a.m., divers felt one sack underwater.</p><p>By past 2:00 p.m., the technical divers, together with the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), returned to the site and successfully retrieved the sack from the lake. Another sack was recovered at around 2:46 p.m.</p><p>According to Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, commander of the Philippine Coast Guard Southern Tagalog District, they first mark the location where sacks are found underwater because SOCO must be present before anything can be brought to the surface.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/11/can-bones-found-in-taal-lake-still-be-identified-forensic-pathologist-answers-0931">Bones found in Taal Lake may still be identified if among &#x27;missing sabungeros&#x27;: Forensic pathologist</a></div><p>Tuvilla added that the divers face major challenges due to the zero-visibility conditions underwater.</p><p>“Pagbaba mo pa lang wala ka na halos makita, zero visibility, kapa-kapa, sinusuyod pa rin nila dahan-dahan, &#x27;yung mga inisyal na makapa nila doon na unusual ay minamarkahan na agad, so that when the SOCO, CIDG, NBI arrive, (they) will be able to pick it up carefully from the bottom,” Tuvilla said.</p><p>The strong water current in Taal Lake and the varying terrain of the lakebed also pose difficulties for the divers.</p><p>“Ang Taal lake ay very challenging na area para mag-conduct ka ng diving operations,” Tuvilla added.</p><p>“&#x27;Yung terrain dyan sa ilalim iba-iba, hindi naman sya straight na flat,” he explained.</p><p>Buoys have been placed to mark the specific areas of the lake where the search is ongoing, based on information provided by a witness.</p><p>From the location searched Friday, the technical divers moved about 20 meters southeast to continue the retrieval efforts.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u_cvMbUq-Qc?si=cEJrLbMBGSdZ3Rj8" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Two more sacks believed to contain human bones were retrieved by technical divers of the Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday during their ongoing search and retrieval operations for the missing cockfighting enthusiasts in Taal Lake, Laurel, Batangas.</p>

Two more sacks believed to contain human bones were retrieved by technical divers of the Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday during their ongoing search and retrieval operations for the missing cockfighting enthusiasts in Taal Lake, Laurel, Batangas.

2 more sacks believed to contain human bones retrieved from Taal Lake

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2 more sacks believed to contain human bones retrieved from Taal Lake

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 12, 2025 05:29 PM PHT

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Sabungeros

Philippine Coast Guard

Technical divers

Taal Lake

Search and retrieval

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