LAUREL, Batangas — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has begun full-scale dive operations in Taal Lake amid near-zero underwater visibility, in the latest effort to locate the remains of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungeros) who have been missing since 2021.
INTENSIFIED SEARCH Philippine Coast Guard divers recover more sacks allegedly containing human bones during the second day of search operations in Taal Lake on July 12, 2025. PHOTO BY FRANCO JOSE C. BAROÑA
In an interview Saturday, Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, commander of the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog, confirmed that their dive team launched operations at 8 a.m., moving southeast of the Alitagtag-Laurel bridge about 20 meters from the initial site covered the day before.
“Visibility underwater is extremely poor—just about one meter or less,” Tuvilla said. “As soon as divers descend, they can barely see anything. It’s a slow, hands-on search.” Despite the murky waters, divers have started placing buoys and flotation markers on suspicious or unusual objects they encounter on the lakebed. These markers are meant to help guide recovery teams from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and Bureau of Internal Affairs (BIA), who are authorized to collect potential evidence from the site once safety and technical procedures are ensured.
Tuvilla emphasized that nothing has been recovered so far due to the extreme difficulty posed by the lake’s underwater terrain and visibility conditions. “Everything is by feel. Divers are groping their way around, and we can’t just pick up items without proper documentation and presence of support agencies,” he said.
The team is also deploying underwater cameras in high-risk areas, although the poor visibility significantly hampers video clarity.
One diver is designated as a reference point in each operation to help prevent disorientation. Flotation devices are used to mark entry and exit points to maintain orientation during ascent and descent. According to Tuvilla, the lakebed is not flat, which adds to the complexity of the operation.
Currently, the search covers an estimated surface area of 100 square meters. The dive plan and search pattern are adjusted based on ongoing assessments and intelligence shared by investigative units.
“There are some suspicious spots already marked, and we plan to return to those for verification. But right now, it’s still a careful and methodical process,” Tuvilla said.
The search forms part of the broader investigation into the high-profile disappearance of sabungeros, whose case remains unresolved more than two years since their disappearance sparked public outcry and congressional inquiries.
