9 Leyteños ‘salvaged’?

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte — A forensic expert of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said nine people, whose bodies were discovered last April 17 in Barangay San Isidro here, were "salvaged" (summarily executed) and were not killed in a legitimate encounter as the military had claimed.

Dr. Jesse Rey Cruel made this conclusion after conducting autopsies on six of the nine bodies last Monday.

He said an examination of the victims’ gunshot wounds showed that they were all shot at close range, the bullet wounds mostly in their heads.

Cruel added that the head is difficult to shoot at, especially when the target is moving.

"This gave me the impression that they were executed dahil sa ulo halos lahat ang tama (because most shots were in the head) or else masyadong magaling ang snipers nila (or else their snipers were really good)," he said.

Cruel said the body of 13-year-old Rey Corpin, who just graduated from elementary school last April 12, yielded a slug in the seventh rib, which he said was an indication that the boy was shot point-blank.

Corpin’s head was also blown off and the right portion of his skull was missing, he said.

Cruel further theorized that the teenager’s arms must have been up because he was hit in the right forearm.

In his autopsy of Eugenio Tazan, 54, a farmer and a former Catholic lay minister, Cruel claimed that the victim must have been shot in the knees.

Cruel also examined the remains of Rowena Salobri Superior, 24, of Sitio San Antonio; Benjie Cabugoy, 17, of Barangay Poblacion; and Obet Quidlat, 16, and Randy Potoy, 15, both of Barangay Rizal. All nine victims were from Kananga town.

Cruel said he is willing to testify if the victims’ families go to court.