4 days ago
Philippine cock fighters' deaths: Duterte drug war, sack of bones mark mounting mystery
Three sacks weighted with sandbags recovered from the depths of a
Philippine volcanic crater lake have added a dramatic new twist to the chilling case of at least 34 missing cock fighters, bolstering claims by a whistle-blower that the killings were orchestrated by a gambling tycoon with powerful political and police connections.
The first sack, pulled from the murky waters of Taal Lake on Thursday, contained charred bones, according to the Department of Justice. Forensic tests have yet to determine if the remains are human. Two more sacks were retrieved the following day, though authorities have not yet opened them.
Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, commander of the Coast Guard Southern Tagalog District, told reporters the two sacks contained 'suspicious objects'. They did not open them because these looked very fragile, having been soaked in water for a long time.
'As long as weather is permitting, our guys won't stop looking,' he said, adding that diving for these objects was a very risky operation. 'Every time they do the dive, our divers are putting themselves in grave danger.'
The discoveries were made near Balakilong village in Laurel, Batangas – about 83km (51.5 miles) south of Manila – by a Philippine Coast Guard dive team comprising 36 technical wreck divers. The search zone lies about 16 metres to 22 metres (52 feet to 72 feet) from the shoreline, with divers reaching depths of up to 21.8 metres.
The Taal volcano crater with fish cages (bottom), seen along Taal Lake off Laurel town, Batangas province, south of Manila, on Thursday. Taal is a popular tourist spot in the Philippines. Photo: AFP
The coastguard said it also planned to deploy an underwater drone to assist the probe. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, however, has expressed concern about rising pressure inside Taal Volcano, noting persistent volcanic tremors since July 6.
