The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) assured the public on Sunday that tawilis, a fish species found in Taal Lake, is safe for human consumption, following claims that the bodies of missing cockfighters, or “sabungeros,” were thrown into the lake in 2021.
BFAR clarified that tawilis is a small pelagic fish that feeds on plankton, primarily plant-based, and is not carnivorous.
BFAR chief information officer Nazzer Briguera emphasized that there is no cause for concern, as tawilis does not consume animal remains, including human bodies.
This assurance comes amid reports of declining sales from local fish sellers, who cited consumer fears about the potential consumption of human remains by fish in Taal Lake. These sellers clarified, however, that the fish sold in markets were raised by local fisherfolk and not caught directly from the lake.
The controversy stemmed from claims made by “Totoy,” one of the accused in the abduction of 34 cockfighters, who alleged that the victims’ bodies were disposed of in Taal Lake after they were caught cheating in cockfights.
