Cheyenne Suarez

 Taal Lake fish prices stable despite claim of dumped bodies

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

Prices of fish caught in Taal Lake remain stable despite reports that the bodies of missing sabungeros (cockfighters) were dumped in its waters, a non-government organization said Wednesday.Taal Lake, the third largest lake in the Philippines with a depth of 172 meters, is one of the country’s primary producers of tilapia and bangus, supplying Metro Manila and the CALABARZON region. Taal Lake Aquacultural Alliance Inc, spokesperson Engineer Mario Balazon said fish cages occupy about 2,000 hectares of the 24,000-hectare lake.“Ang presyo ng isda nananatiling stable at medyo mataas pa naman (Prices of fish remain stable and are still high),” he said, adding that supply was slightly affected by a typhoon.Maliputo (giant trevally, for example, is currently sold at P1,000/kg due to lack of supply, he said.The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources earlier said fish caught in Taal Lake are <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/7/2/bfar-says-fish-in-taal-lake-safe-to-eat-amid-claims-sabungeros-bodies-dumped-in-lake-1459">safe to eat </a>amid claims that the bodies of missing sabungeros abducted in 2021 were dumped into the lake.A whistleblower said more than 100 cockfighters were abducted, strangled and their bodies dumped in the lake for rigging &quot;e-sabong&quot; games. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/2/-not-just-30-whistleblower-says-100-sabungeros-gamblers-allegedly-killed-dumped-in-taal-lake-0744">&#x27;NOT JUST 30&#x27;: Whistleblower says 100 sabungeros, gamblers allegedly killed, dumped in Taal Lake</a></div>Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the search for the remains of the missing “sabungeros” supposedly dumped in Taal Lake may <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/7/search-in-taal-lake-for-missing-sabungeros-starts-this-week-remulla-1709">start this week</a>.The Department of Science and Technology has said the bones of the missing cockfight enthusiasts may still be recovered in Taal Lake  -- if their bodies were really dumped there.&quot;Ang buto hindi made-decompose. Yung buto walang pakialam ang decomposition doon, ang laman ang nabubulok lang,” said Science Secretary Renato Solidum in a Saturday news forum in Quezon City.The rate of the bodies&#x27; decomposition would also depend on their location in the lake, the official said, as its oxygen levels would depend on the water’s depth and the presence of oxygen.

Prices of fish caught in Taal Lake remain stable despite reports that the bodies of missing sabungeros (cockfighters) were dumped in its waters, a non-government organization said Wednesday.

Prices of fish caught in Taal Lake remain stable despite reports that the bodies of missing sabungeros (cockfighters) were dumped in its waters, a non-government organization said Wednesday.