May Nakita na mga Buto ng Sabungero sa Taal Lake: Gobyerno Maglalaan ng Milyon-Milyon para sa Paghahanap sa Taal Lake

Mula Abril 2021 hanggang Enero 2022, 34 sabungero ang misteryosong nawala sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Luzon—lalo sa Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Manila, at Rizal . Matagal itong hindi nabigyan ng solusyon hanggang Hunyo 2025 nang lumutang ang isang whistle‑blower, si “Alyas Totoy” o si Julie Don Don Patidongan, na nagbunyag na umano’y pinatay at itinapon ang mga ito sa Taal Lake at itinuturong mastermind ay si Atong Ang at Gretchen Barretto .

Noong Hulyo 10, 2025, sinimulan ng pamahalaan ang isang teknikal na site assessment sa Taal Lake sa Talisay, Batangas. Sa inspeksyong iyon, nakabawi ng isang puting sako na naglalaman ng mga bungo na may posibilidad na katunayan ng mga nawawalang sabungero. Ayon sa DOJ, susuriin kung ito ba ay tunay na buto ng tao at isasailalim sa DNA testing upang maitugma sa pamilya ng mga biktima .

Ang paghahanap ay bahagi ng mas malawakang operasyon ng pamahalaan, kung saan magtatayo sila ng underwater mapping gamit ang sonar, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), at unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) upang matukoy ang eksaktong lokasyon ng posibleng paghuhukay ng labi . Kahit hindi pa tiyak ang kabuuang halaga ng gastusin, inihayag ni Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla na hindi ito simpleng misyon—maaabot ang milyon-milyong pisong paggastos para sa teknikal na kagamitan, forensic testing, at interagency coordination kasama ang PNP‑CIDG, PCG, Navy, at DENR‑MGB .

Forensic examination upang tiyakin kung tao nga ang recovered remains;

DNA matching sa pamilya ng mga missing sabungero;

Pag-deploy ng tactical divers, sonar at underwater drones kung sakaling lumalim pa ang search mula sa surface assessment ;

Pagtiyak ng kaligtasan ng operasyon—lakas ng tubig, visibility, at sandali ng pagsisid lamang sa araw upang avoid peligro sa gabi .

Ang nadiskubreng sako ng buto ay maaaring maging pinakamalaking breakthrough sa kaso na matagal nang umaantay ng katarungan para sa mga pamilya. Ito rin ang unang konkretong ebidensya mula nang lumutang ang testimonya ni Totoy ngayong Hunyo. Ayon sa kanya, maaaring hindi lang 34 ang tagasawing biktima—maaaring mga daan-daan pa ang natabunan sa lawa, kabilang na posibleng sangkot ng iba pang krimen tulad ng droga .

Sa kasalukuyan, nasa yugto pa rin ang pagsisiyasat kung totoong kabilang sa mga missing sabungero ang natagpuang buto. Ngunit kung mapatunayan itong tao at mai-relate sa kaso, magiging mahalagang hakbang ito tungo sa pagpapalapit ng hustisya at paglutas sa isa sa pinakamababahalang misteryo sa bansa ngayon. Ang gobyerno, sa kabilang banda, ay tila handang gumugol ng malaki—milyon-milyong pisong gagastusin para lang matuklasan kung may laman nga ang Taal Lake.

BONES OF MISSING SABUNGEROS FOUND IN TAAL LAKE: Government to Allocate Millions for Massive Search Operation!💥
Horrifying discovery confirms worst fears—as human remains surface in Taal, the government pledges a multimillion-peso dive to uncover the truth buried beneath the volcanic lake’s deadly depths!

TAAL, BATANGAS — In a chilling turn of events that has left the nation shaken, skeletal remains believed to belong to the missing “sabungeros” have been discovered in the murky depths of Taal Lake, reigniting one of the country’s most harrowing unsolved cases.

Following this gruesome find, the Philippine government has officially announced the release of millions of pesos in emergency funds to conduct a full-scale search and recovery operation across the volatile lakebed—an area once thought to be inaccessible and too dangerous for sustained exploration.

A DARK TRUTH BENEATH THE WATERS

The remains were discovered by a group of local fishermen who stumbled upon what they initially thought were animal bones, caught in their nets near the northwestern edge of the lake. Upon closer examination, the authorities confirmed that the bones appeared to be human in origin, prompting immediate deployment of divers and forensic teams.

Initial reports from the PNP and Coast Guard suggest at least three different sets of remains have already been recovered. Clothing remnants, possible shackles, and betting slips were reportedly found alongside the bones—adding further weight to the growing suspicion that the missing cockfighting enthusiasts were not simply “lost”—they were executed.

“This is no longer a matter of speculation. We are now talking about evidence of foul play,” said a shaken Coast Guard diver involved in the operation.

GOVERNMENT STEPS IN WITH MULTI-MILLION FUND

In a press briefing held this morning, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos confirmed that an initial ₱50 million has been allocated to launch a comprehensive sonar-mapping, deep-dive, and forensic investigation in and around Taal Lake.

“We owe it to the families. We owe it to justice. And we owe it to the Filipino people. This will not be swept under the rug,” Abalos declared.

The search will include:

Deployment of advanced underwater drones and sonar scanners

Mobilization of divers from the military and elite rescue teams

Recruitment of international forensic experts to assist in bone identification

Installation of 24/7 surveillance and protective units around the lake perimeter

This is the first time in history that such an extensive and high-budget underwater investigation will take place in the Taal region.

“WE WARNED YOU BEFORE,” SAYS WHISTLEBLOWER

The horrifying discovery came just days after whistleblower Julie Patidongan revealed in a Senate affidavit that many of the missing sabungeros were allegedly executed on orders from powerful syndicates, with some bodies dumped in remote waters to erase evidence.

“Sabi ko na nga ba… sa Taal nila tinapon ang ilan,” Patidongan told reporters after the discovery.
(“I knew it… some of them were dumped in Taal.”)

Her prior testimony mentioned specific GPS coordinates near the area where the remains were later recovered—leading many to believe this was not coincidence, but confirmation.

FAMILIES IN TEARS: “WE KNEW THEY WERE THERE”

As news of the bone recovery spread, families of the missing sabungeros rushed to Batangas, holding photographs, flowers, and tear-stained letters at the lakeside.

“Sana hindi na lang siya sumali sa sabong. Kung totoong siya ang isa sa mga nakuha nila, sana man lang makuha namin ang kanyang katawan,” sobbed Marissa Gonzales, whose 32-year-old brother has been missing since January 2022.

For these families, the discovery of bones means closure—but also rage.

“Why did it take this long? Why did it take bones to be found before they acted?” another mother cried.

WHO’S RESPONSIBLE? FOCUS SHIFTS TO BIG NAMES

While the government has focused on the logistics of the search, the public is demanding names—powerful names.

Already, Atong Ang and Gretchen Barretto have been dragged back into the national conversation, due to their alleged connections to e-sabong operations and past accusations of being tied to illegal activities.

The public is calling for:

A re-opening of all case files related to the sabungero disappearances

Senate hearings with mandatory attendance from all known e-sabong operators

Immediate suspension and investigation of any police officers previously linked to the case

Senator Risa Hontiveros has already filed a motion to summon key figures in a televised hearing.

“We will not rest until every name is exposed. These are not just bones. These are lives that were taken.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

With diving teams already expanding their sweep radius and forensic scientists working around the clock, authorities believe more remains will likely surface in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the nation watches in horror, mourning the loss of innocent lives once dismissed as “gamblers gone missing.”

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, one of the earliest advocates of finding the sabungeros, concluded:

“Ngayon, hindi na sila ‘missing.’ Ngayon, kailangan na nating managot. Ang Taal Lake ang naging libingan nila. Pero ang katotohanan, hindi na mailulubog muli.”

🛑 DEVELOPING STORY — FULL INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY
RELATED ARTICLES:
🔴 “Julie Patidongan Names Cops in Sabungero Killings—NAPOLCOM Opens Probe”
🔴 “Underwater Horror: Inside the Bone Recovery Operation at Taal Lake”
🔴 “e-Sabong Empire: How Power, Politics, and Greed Led to Tragedy”

Let me know if you’d like this translated into Filipino, or adapted for YouTube narration or documentary format.