NBI identifies body of girl in suitcase

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation positively identified yesterday the body found inside a suitcase floating in Manila Bay in North Harbor way back in 2007 as that of Geraldine Palma, a seven-year-old child who went missing also during that time.

“We have already established this time that the body recovered from the breakwater is that of Dindin (Geraldine) Palma through the DNA result released by the bureau. I understand that the case is ongoing. It is really kidnapping. With this development, we will be filing a motion to amend the information from ‘kidnapping’ to ‘kidnapping with homicide’ because we are positive about the identity,” said Deputy Director for Technical Services Reynaldo Esmeralda during a press conference held at the NBI headquarters in Manila. “What is important is our scientific finding proving that Dindin Palma was positively identified through the DNA,” said Esmeralda.

The DNA tests were conducted in the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The one-page consolidated report of the NBI dated March 24, 2009 said, based on the above findings, the following conclusions were made.

“The partial female DNA profile generated from the portion of femur from un­identified female child was found consistent with half of the profile from Felma Estravela; and there is a 99.99 percent probability that the femur originated from Geraldine Palma than if it is from another individual unrelated to Felma Estravela,” said the DNA report.

Gerald Palma, 56, of 136 4th St., Riverside Village, Pasig City, is known as the father of the victim, the DNA report said. Felma Estravela, 27, of Block 2, Lakas Tao Floodway, Cainta, Rizal, is known as the mother of the victim, the DNA report said.

Geraldine, known as Dindin to her relatives and family, went to school at the St. Paul’s College in Pasig City. Esmeralda also said that the results, which are now conclusive, showed that Gerald Palma is not the biological father of Geraldine. The DNA also showed that Felma, is the mother of Geraldine. Estravela is the live-in partner of Gerald, who has identified himself as the father of Geraldine. Esmeralda, on the other hand, said it does not matter in their case that the father did not say he was not the biological father of Geraldine. “We informed the mother about the DNA test. At least they were comforted by the fact that the body recovered is that of her daughter,” said Esmeralda.

For his part, the NBI Special Task Force, which handles the case, said that they will be furnishing copies of the DNA test results to the Pasig Regional Trial Court where one of the cases was filed by the NBI. The case filed was against Geraldine’s nanny identified as Maritess Ontog, who went missing the same time Geraldine was kidnapped. She is a primary suspect in the kidnapping case.

The NBI said Ontog is still missing as of yesterday afternoon. Five other suspects have already been arrested by the Manila Police District and charged with kidnapping with homicide.

Special Investigator III Darwin Francisco, of the STF, said the defense in the Manila RTC case questioned the identity of the body. He said the court will be issuing a “subpoena duces tecum” to subpoena the documents on the report of the NBI. He said they will also furnish the MPD a copy of the DNA test results to strengthen the police’s case against the five arrested suspects.

Francisco said the “Dindin Palma case” was first handled by the Presidential Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER), which handles kidnapping cases. However, Francisco said there were problems in the negotiations for the release of Geraldine. Then, eventually, after a few days, Geraldine’s body was found inside a suitcase floating on Manila Bay.

“We filed a case against Maritess Ontog before the Pasig RTC. With the police’s case, five persons have been arrested and detained at the Manila City Jail. Manila RTC Branch 5 handled the case. They were charged with kidnapping with homicide by the Manila Prosecutor’s Office,” he said.

DNA tests

Francisco said there were DNA tests made in the Philippines, but these were inconclusive since there was too much formaline in the body found. It was contaminated, he said. The two were made in the NBI forensics lab and the other was in the University of the Philippines Natural Science and Research Institute. Both were inconclusive. The DNA specimens used were portions of the femur, liver and right thigh muscle tissues. He said the NBI will provide the police the DNA test results. The Manila City prosecutors will be the ones who will amend the information. The NBI will only be concerned with the amendments of the case in the Pasig RTC where they filed the case against Ontog, he said.

The MPD had arrested in 2007 Renato Bohol, alias Rick-rick, who earlier surrendered to the civil military operation battalion and turned over to the MPD. The other suspect, Joey Nodalo, was arrested in Bulacan by the police. Henry Tesado, Ramil Diorico and Rosdam Mesias were also arrested later on by the police.

Francisco said it cannot be concluded that no rape occurred even with the medico legal report.

Francisco also suspected that Ontog may also have been murdered since she has been missing for so long. The NBI has launched a manhunt against Ontog. Francisco said the NBI requested on Sept. 9, 2008 ICMP of Bosnia to conduct the latest DNA tests.

A DNA sample from the femur, or thigh bone, of the victim was sent to ICMP. The final consolidated report of ICMP and the NBI-DNA tests was finished on March 24, 2009. But it was just signed recently by the forensic experts who conducted the tests, said the NBI. Suspicions were also made earlier by the NBI that Geraldine was killed for insurance, but later on this was not pursued.

Geraldine was reported missing on Aug. 11, 2007. She was last seen with her nanny Ontog and the victim’s family has received ransom demand for her release. However, five days later, on Aug. 16, 2007, a girl’s body was found stuffed in a green traveling suitcase floating on Manila Bay off the North Harbor. There were speculations that she was raped before she was killed, but NBI later on said no rape was committed.