Taal Lake search for missing sabungeros poses daunting task

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said the search for the remains of the missing sabungeros in Taal Lake will begin this week, but authorities face several challenges.

According to Ian Cruz’s report in “24 Oras” on Wednesday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that they have already identified the starting point for the search operations. 

“Mayroong fishpond lease yung isang suspect na tinutukoy natin…ayan ang ground zero natin from the start,” said Remulla. 

(One of our suspects has a fishpond lease, so that will be our ground zero from the start.)

Dark and deep 

But the Department of Science and Technology noted that the search for the remains wouldn’t be easy given the size of Taal Lake which spans 234 square kilometers - nine times as large as the City of Manila. It also has a depth of 198 meters or the equivalent to a 60-storey building.

“Malalim kasi yung lake, mahigit 100 meters yan sa deepest part kung saan may crater…yung organic matter kasi na lumulubog…hindi rin maka-penetrate yung sunlight kaya madilim,” said DOST Secretary Renato Solidum. 

(The lake is very deep as the deepest part is more than 100 meters below the surface…. If there are organic matters that have sunk…the sunlight cannot penetrate into the water that’s why it’s dark down there.) 

PNP

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police is already securing the vicinity of Taal Lake in preparation for the search and retrieval operations. But they will also conduct searches in other areas. 

“Meron na kaming mga iilan na binibisita. May mga areas kami not only around Laguna or Batangas, but other parts of the Metro and of course in the underlying areas at saka namin ide-detail,” said PNP chief General Nicolas Torre III. 

(We have already visited other areas. We’ve been to not only around Laguna or Batangas, but also in other parts of the Metro, and of course in the underlying areas. We will give full details soon.) 

Navy divers

Part of the composite team who will dive into the Taal Lake are the members of the elite force of the Philippine Navy’s Special Operations Command. 

Three teams composed of four Navy  (Sea, Air and Land) SEALs each will be deployed. All of them are technical divers who are qualified to dive to a depth of up to 94 meters or 308 feet. 

The Navy will also deploy a submersible drone that can operate to a depth of 100 meters. 

“We could even retrieve underwater objects without sending any divers. But unless it's quite complicated like yung mga nangyari sa mga lumubog na mga barko na papasukin mo sa loob na mahirapan ang drone…then we have to send out divers. But in situations like this the last option will be the diver,” said Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad. 

The composite team will also be joined by personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Mines and Geosciences Bureau. 

Taal Volcano

Aside from the depth of the Taal Lake, another challenge is the ongoing unrest of the Taal Volcano. But the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said that it is still safe to do such operations in the lake. 

“Sa lawa, safe naman 'yun kasi Alert Level 1. Again, [Permanent Danger Zone] lang 'yung ni-recommend natin na 'wag pasukin,” said PHIVOLCS director Teresito Bacolcol. 

(With regards to the lake, it is still safe there because it’s only Alert Level 1. Again, we are only recommending no entry into the Permanent Danger Zone.) 

Further, the DOJ said that the case will not be affected even though no bodies will be recovered. 

“In Philippine Criminal Law, it is not absolutely necessary to find the body of the victim to prove the crime,” said DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News