The volcanic mist that hung over Taal Lake last week seemed to thicken with every rumour. Where fishermen once cast their nets, search teams trawled the depths for sacks of secrets.
Since July 10, up to 40 technical divers from the Philippines’ coastguard, aided by a remotely operated submersible, have recovered five sacks containing “suspicious objects” from the lake’s dark depths.
The search, triggered by the bombshell revelations of whistle-blower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, has left the local community in Batangas province, some 63km (40 miles) south of Manila, reeling while sending shock waves across the nation.
He has implicated police officers allegedly corrupted by his former employer, gambling tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang, and warned that up to 100 murdered men could have been dumped in the murky waters.
