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Remains of missing sabungeros may still be retrieved from Taal Lake, says DOJ
TALISAY, Batangas —The remains of the missing sabungeros may still be retrieved from Taal Lake, Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano said Thursday.
“May mga nagsasabi po na meron pa po tayong maaabutan. They indicated certain factors dahil what we're dealing with now is more freshwater,” Clavano said in an ambush interview.
DOJ spox Clavano: May mga nag sasabi po na meron pa po tayong maaabutan. They indicated certain factors dahil what we are dealing with now is more freshwater. Yung mga dating searches were done in saltwater. There are experts advising us on what we should be looking for @gmanews pic.twitter.com/31zSTize6M
— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) July 10, 2025
(We were told that we can still find remains. They indicated certain factors because what we’re dealing with now is more freshwater.)
“Yung mga dating searches were done in saltwater. There are experts advising us on what we should be looking for,” he added.
(Precious searches were done in saltwater. There are experts advising us on what we should be looking for.)
Skies remain clear at Talisay, Batangas amid the expected initial dive of the Philippine Coast Guard, PNP-CIDG, and DOJ to search for the missing sabungeros this morning
— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) July 10, 2025
Whistleblower alias Totoy previously said the bodies of the sabungeros were buried at Taal Lake @gmanews pic.twitter.com/c8MgkwScFP
Clavano stressed that the goal is to be certain on whether the remains of the missing sabungeros were thrown into the lake.
“Until masasabi natin na talagang wala or talagang meron, hindi tayo titigil,” he said.
(Until we can certainly say that there are none or if there are, we will not step.)
Officials of the Philippine Coast Guard, the Department of Justice, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group conducted a technical site assessment at Taal Lake following claims of whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan or alias Totoy that the missing sabungeros were buried there.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla previously said authorities will look into the “fishpond lease” of one of the suspects in the investigation. He had said that this will be the “ground zero” of the search operation.
Clavano clarified that authorities will not conduct the actual dive Thursday.
“Nandito po tayo, titignan po natin at i-aassess po natin ang tubig at ang area kung saan gagawin ang search. Hindi po natin expectation ngayon na talagang mag-dive ang ating mga Coast Guard, kung hindi titignan lang po natin kung ano ‘yung kondisyon ng tubig, kung gaano ka-clear, kung gaano ka-murky ‘yung tubig,” he said.
(We will assess the water and the area where the search will be conducted. We are not expecting the Coast Guard to dive today but to look at the condition of the water, if it’s clear, or the murkiness of the water.)
The PCG said the search and retrieval operation for the missing sabungeros in Taal Lake will start Friday if the weather permits.
“Technical divers will commence the search and retrieval operations to look for the remains of the missing sabungeros that are allegedly dumped at Taal Lake tomorrow, 11 July 2025, as weather permits,” the PCG said in a statement.
Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog commander Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla will lead all operational and tactical control, including operational guidance for personnel safety and environmental factors.
Based on initial information from credible informants, Clavano said that the area of the lake to be searched has a depth of 30 meters.
“We are confident. We cannot say for certain kung gaano ka confident po tayo. Pero it is worth the effort, it is worth looking into,” he said.
“Kasi po sinasabi po natin na lahat po ng information na nakukuha natin kailangan ito i-validate. Hindi naman po pwedeng may information tayong nakuha, wala tayong gagawin,” he added.
(Because we’re saying that all information should be validated. It's not right if we do nothing with the information that we get.)
He also said that this is not the government’s sole lead, but acknowledged that it is one of the biggest.
“We hope that we can find something that will at least lead us in the right direction,” he said.
Make or break?
Clavano said that should bodies be found, it would be “damning evidence.”
According to Clavano, authorities previously filed kidnapping charges against the alleged perpetrators.
“This will definitely shift the attention now to a murder case if ever bodies are found and remains are found. So we do hope to see remains that will match the DNA of those missing cockfight enthusiasts,” he said.
“However, even if we do not find the bodies, what we have to prove is the fact of death. That is what is important in a murder case. So plan A is really definitely to exert all effort to find the remains… but at the same time even if we do not find, we still have many options and we can corroborate the statements with hard evidence,” he added.
He also said that the operation will not cost the government much as the Coast Guard often patrols the area.
Meanwhile, PCG Commander Geronimo Tuvilla said they will later discuss the search pattern that will be conducted as well as the diving teams.
He said that more than 30 divers will participate in the search for the area with a depth of 30 to 50 meters.
“These are the elite special operations force… and they are technical divers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tuvilla also gave assurances the families of the missing sabungeros.
“I would just like to say na we’re going to do everything we can. This is something that we want to give the loved ones nung mga missing personalities natin. The Coast Guard will do everything,” he said.
Tuvilla said the PCG is expected to start the dive on Friday, July 11. — AOL/RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News
