Taal Lake ops for missing sabungeros suspended due to bad weather
Justice spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano said the operation was suspended at 9:29 a.m.
'Coast Guard Underwater Search Operations utilizing its Tech Divers and ROV was temporarily placed on standby due to continuous rainfall and surface runoff from the nearby river,' he said in a statement.
'Elevated turbidity levels significantly reduced underwater visibility, resulting in unfavorable condition for the conduct of any diving operations,' he added.
Earlier, PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 in over 10 areas in Luzon as Tropical Storm Crising slightly intensified approaching Cagayan and Babuyan Islands.
Crising is expected to make landfall over Cagayan or Babuyan Islands on Friday afternoon or evening.
Last week, authorities started searching Taal Lake for the remains of the missing sabungeros. This came after whistleblower Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan claimed that more than 100 sabungeros were abducted, killed, and then dumped at Taal Lake.
On Thursday, authorities recovered what appeared to be human ribs from the lake. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
43 minutes ago
- GMA Network
SONA 2025: No one is above the law in missing sabungeros case, says Marcos
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. vowed in his State of the Nation Address on Monday that no one is above the law as justice is sought for the missing sabungeros. During his fourth SONA, Marcos said the entire government is doing everything to solve the case of missing sabungeros, noting that even those with influence, who are allegedly involved in the crime, will never be above the law. ''Nagtutulungan ang buong pamahalaan para lutasin ang mga kaso ng mga nawawala dahil sa walang pakundangang kagagawan ng mga sindikato sa likod ng madilim na mundo ng mga sabungan,'' Marcos said. ''Hahabulin at pananagutin natin ang mga utak at mga sangkot, sibilyan man o opisyal. Kahit malakas, mabigat, o mayaman, hindi sila mangingibabaw sa batas,'' he added. (The entire government is working together to solve the cases of these persons who are missing because of the ruthless actions of the syndicates behind the dark world of cockfighting. We will hunt and hold accountable the masterminds and those involved, whether they are civilians or government officials. No matter how strong, powerful, or rich, they are not above the law.) A total of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts were reported missing from 2021 to 2022 but the number of those who disappeared could be way higher. Law enforcers said the missing personalities were kidnapped allegedly due to match fixing or cheating in the cockfighting games. Whistleblower Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan had claimed that more than 100 sabungeros were abducted, killed, and then dumped in the Taal Lake. Patidongan also implicated businessman Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barreto, an allegation that the two personalities have denied. Marcos has directed a deeper investigation into the disappearances of cockfighting enthusiasts after it was disclosed that cops were allegedly involved in their abduction and death. The government is investigating at least 30 individuals over the missing sabungeros, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
18-07-2025
- GMA Network
Taal Lake ops for missing sabungeros suspended due to bad weather
Search and retrieval operation for the missing sabungeros at Taal Lake was temporarily suspended on Friday due to inclement weather, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Justice spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano said the operation was suspended at 9:29 a.m. 'Coast Guard Underwater Search Operations utilizing its Tech Divers and ROV was temporarily placed on standby due to continuous rainfall and surface runoff from the nearby river,' he said in a statement. 'Elevated turbidity levels significantly reduced underwater visibility, resulting in unfavorable condition for the conduct of any diving operations,' he added. Earlier, PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 in over 10 areas in Luzon as Tropical Storm Crising slightly intensified approaching Cagayan and Babuyan Islands. Crising is expected to make landfall over Cagayan or Babuyan Islands on Friday afternoon or evening. Last week, authorities started searching Taal Lake for the remains of the missing sabungeros. This came after whistleblower Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan claimed that more than 100 sabungeros were abducted, killed, and then dumped at Taal Lake. On Thursday, authorities recovered what appeared to be human ribs from the lake. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
16-07-2025
- GMA Network
3 bodies exhumed in search of missing sabungeros —Remulla
Authorities are now digging up at least three bodies in Batangas who may be connected to e-sabong or the drug war amid the ongoing search for the missing sabungeros, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Wednesday. Remulla said authorities are looking into locations that may have been used not only for e-sabong but also the drug war. 'There were some victims found in 2020 that were just buried by the police because nobody claimed them in the punerarya (funeral parlor). We're exhuming them now as we speak because we have to find out who these people are,' he said in an ambush interview. 'We're setting up the DNA bank that we need to set up precisely because of those people who are missing. 'Yung mga disappearances ng mga tao dapat ma-solve 'yan,' he added. Meanwhile, Remulla said authorities are looking into locations that may have been used not only for e-sabong but also the drug war. Asked if this means authorities are now investigating drug war killings, Remulla said their focus remains on the missing sabungeros. However, he said that authorities have no choice but to include everything due to a supposed intersection in the two cases. Remulla previously said that some people who may be involved in drug war killings may also be involved in the deaths related to e-sabong. 'Yung ano eh, yung actors eh, yung mga taong involved sa what we call enforced disappearances. parang nagkaka— nagkatugma na isang grupo ginamit pareho. They were part of the drug war and they were part of the disposition dito sa e-sabong,' he said. (The thing is, the actors, the people involved in what we call enforced disappearances, it seems like— it matches that one group was used for both. They were part of the drug war and they were part of the disposition here in e-sabong.) However, Remulla declined to comment on Vice President Sara Duterte's statement that former President Rodrigo Duterte found the alleged link between the drug war and the missing sabungeros preposterous. 'I have no comment on that. I have no response to that,' he said. Last week, authorities started searching Taal Lake for the remains of the missing sabungeros. This came after whistleblower Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan claimed that more than 100 sabungeros were abducted, killed, and then dumped at Taal Lake. Earlier, members of the Japanese Embassy visited the Department of Justice. Remulla said they relayed the Philippine government's request for equipment and assistance with the DNA analysis. 'Although we have a very competent crime lab, a police crime lab, and an NBI crime lab capable of looking at DNA, we're looking at the best possible persons who can help us also. Kasi, this is not an easy task. We need all the help we can get,' he said. He said that the request is being processed. On Tuesday, the Philippine National Police said authorities recovered what may be a human hip bone with a length of eight inches among the more than 90 bone fragments retrieved. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
