The bones of the missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts) possibly dumped in Taal Lake may still be recoverable, according to Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum.
Speaking at a media forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Solidum explained that while human flesh decomposes, bones generally do not. “Bone does not care about decomposition,” he said.
Solidum emphasized that the rate of decomposition depends on the depth and oxygen levels in the lake. In low-oxygen or “reducing” environments, bodies decompose more slowly. “When the oxygen is depleted at the bottom, they don’t decompose very much,” he noted.
He added that in Taal Lake, which sometimes experiences fish kills due to oxygen-depleted water rising from the bottom, similar conditions could slow the decomposition of human remains.
The search for the missing sabungeros continues, years after their mysterious disappearances sparked national attention.
