The families of the missing sabungeros (cockfight bettors) are asking the government to start diving operations in Taal Lake to search for their loved ones.
This request comes after a witness claimed that the bodies of the missing sabungeros were buried in the lake.
In a media interview, Mang Aurelio, the uncle of two of the youngest missing victims, said that if the bodies are really in Taal Lake, the divers must begin searching the area now.
He also asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect the lake area.
Mang Aurelio said he is worried that powerful people involved in the crime might be doing something to hide their actions.
He called on witnesses to tell everything they know about the crime.
He also asked the female celebrity linked to the case to cooperate with the authorities to help bring justice to the victims.
Mang Aurelio is hopeful that PGen. Nicolas Torre III and the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief will solve the case.
His nephews, aged 14 and 17, were last seen at a cockfighting arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna in December 2021.