Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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

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Taal

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175281802030720250710-taal-lake-ph-coast-guard-sabungeros-MT06.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.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE) </strong>— The search for the supposed remains of the &quot;missing sabungeros&quot; in Taal Lake was “temporarily placed on standby&quot; due to bad weather, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday afternoon.</p><p>DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said the Philippine Coast Guard suspended its search operations due to bad weather and reduced underwater visibility.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/7/17/crising-now-a-tropical-storm-approaches-n-luzon-0604">Crising slightly intensifies; 10 provinces under signal 2</a></div><p>Ten provinces in Luzon are under Signal No. 2 as tropical storm Crising slightly intensified before Friday noon. </p><p>Since starting the search operations last week, authorities have recovered several sacks of remains, some of which confirmed to contain human bones.</p><p>The retrieved remains have been transported to the PNP forensic group for cross-matching with the DNA samples provided by the sabungeros&#x27; kin.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/14/human-bones-found-in-taal-in-missing-sabungeros-search-pnp-1059">Human bones found in Taal in missing sabungeros search: PNP</a></div><p>So far, 12 family members have provided their DNA profile, out of the 34 reported missing cockfighters, according to PNP.</p><p>Whistleblower Julie &quot;Dondon&quot; Patidongan had claimed that the sabungeros were executed and their bodies dumped in Taal Lake after they were allegedly caught cheating in the games. </p><p>Aside from divers, the PCG earlier this week also deployed a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to detect &quot;suspicious objects&quot; at the bottom of the lake.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/15/pcg-tests-if-submersible-device-effective-in-murky-taal-lake-1356">PCG tests if submersible device &#x27;effective&#x27; in murky Taal Lake</a></div><p>Taal Lake, the third largest lake in the Philippines with a depth of 172 meters, is surrounded by the towns of Agoncillo, San Nicolas, Balete, Alitagtag, Cuenca, Mataasnakahoy, Lipa City, Tanauan City, Santa Teresita, Talisay, and Laurel.</p><div><strong>—With a report from Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><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/ftDwj-4djR8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>DOJ said the Philippine Coast Guard suspended its search operations due to bad weather and reduced underwater visibility.</p>

DOJ said the Philippine Coast Guard suspended its search operations due to bad weather and reduced underwater visibility.

PCG halts 'sabungeros' search in Taal Lake due to bad weather

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PCG halts 'sabungeros' search in Taal Lake due to bad weather

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Published Jul 18, 2025 01:40 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 18, 2025 01:56 PM PHT

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