MISSING SABUNGEROS

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) recovered two more sacks – this time containing what were believed to be stones – during its third technical diving operation on Saturday in Taal Lake. The ongoing search aims to locate missing “sabungeros” (cockfighting enthusiasts) who vanished nearly three years ago.

The latest recovery brings the total number of sacks retrieved from the lake to five, following initial discoveries earlier in the week. The Saturday operation ventured to a site approximately 20 meters southeast of where two other sacks were recovered on Friday in the waters off Laurel town, Batangas province.

Divers initially flagged a “suspicious object” on Saturday morning before successfully locating and retrieving the two sacks from depths of approximately 50 to 70 feet at around 2 p.m. PCG Southern Tagalog Commander Commo. Geronimo Tuvilla confirmed the contents, stating, “What we got here had some sort of sinker, something to give it more weight. They were just stones.”

Saturday’s dive was particularly challenging due to “zero visibility” in the lake waters, a factor that significantly complicates search efforts. Tuvilla explained the difficulties divers face: “Pagbaba mo pa lang wala ka na halos makita, zero visibility, kapa-kapa, sinusuyod pa rin nila dahan-dahan, ‘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.” He also noted that the strong water current and varying terrain of the lakebed pose additional hurdles, describing Taal Lake as a “very challenging area for diving operations.”

Around 30 personnel were deployed for the Saturday dive, following the same meticulous protocol as with Friday’s recoveries: carefully lifting the sacks to the surface and immediately turning them over to crime scene operatives for examination.

The intensified search efforts stem from claims made by whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, who alleged that the missing sabungeros were killed and their bodies dumped in the lake. The Department of Justice (DOJ) had previously stated that preliminary information suggested some sacks might have been weighted down with sandbags.

The search on Thursday yielded a white sack containing what appeared to be burned human bones near the shoreline. These remains have been turned over to police for forensic examination to determine if they are human and, if so, whether they are linked to the missing individuals. DNA testing is also slated to confirm any matches with the families.

Charlene Lasco, sister of missing sabungero Ricardo “Jonjon” Lasco Jr., was present at the site, expressing a mix of hope and emotion. “Sana yun na yung kapatid ko eh – sana siya na yun,” she told reporters, clinging to the possibility of finding her brother. Lasco expressed excitement and relief that Patidongan’s revelations are proving true, believing them to be just the “tip of the iceberg.” She reiterated the families’ readiness to provide DNA samples to validate the retrieved bones.

When asked about the potential deployment of robotic technology to aid the search, Commo. Tuvilla acknowledged it depends on their assessment. However, he emphasized the irreplaceable value of human intervention, especially in conditions of poor visibility, when searching for suspicious objects. Buoys have been placed to mark specific search areas based on witness information, with divers moving approximately 20 meters southeast from Friday’s location to continue retrieval efforts.