MANILA, Philippines — Severed body parts of an undetermined number of people were found in a “mass grave,” a septic tank in the New Bilibid Prison’s maximum security compound, NBP Superintendent Angelina Bautista said yesterday.
Among these remains may be that of an inmate, Michael Cataroja, 25, who has been missing from the NBP’s maximum security compound since July 15, according to a separate statement by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
In a radio interview, Bautista said they cannot yet determine if Cataroja’s body is among the remains found in the septic tank.
“The bodies have been chopped up. We haven’t identified yet if this is the missing PDL Cataroja because there are many missing PDLs here whom we don’t know if they escaped or not,” she said in Filipino, referring to the convicts as persons deprived of liberty.
“Someone gave a tip that this septic tank is a mass grave so that’s where we concentrated,” Bautista added.
The BuCor, which has supervision over the prison, said yesterday it has sought the assistance of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the search for Cataroja.
The PCG initially used search and rescue dogs, trained to pick up the general scent of humans, but later brought in cadaver dogs that specialized in detecting decomposing flesh.
Citing Bautista, the BuCor said among the two areas the cadaver dogs led searchers was the septic tank in the NBP’s Quadrant 3, Dorm 8.
The bureau then asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for help in retrieving and identifying the remains found in the septic tank.
“As of this writing, the NBI (agents) are still in the area, collecting evidence or conducting field tests at the alleged scene of the crime,” the BuCor said.
Cataroja was discovered to be missing during the morning headcount at the maximum security compound on July 15.
Police checked Cataroja’s last known address in San Isidro, Rizal. Bautista said the inmate’s mother left for the province instead of cooperating with police.
Cataroja was committed to the NBP in July 2022 after he was sentenced to serve 12 to 20 years for violating the anti-fencing law.
He has a case of car theft pending with the Regional Trial Court Branch 71 of Antipolo City, Rizal.
Probe on
The Department of Justice is investigating the discovery of the remains in the septic tank and the case of the missing NBP inmates, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said yesterday.
He said the DOJ is investigating the extent of prison violence – the latest being a prison gang fight on Tuesday that left one inmate dead and nine others wounded – to determine how long the dumping of bodies in unlikely locations has been taking place.
“This was before… (BuCor chief Gregorio) Catapang. We don’t know if it’s (former BuCor chief Gerald) Bantag. We cannot conclude at once,” Remulla said. “We have to find the timeline.”
The DOJ is seeking the help of forensic experts to shed light on the matter.
On the other hand, the ACT-CIS party-list group filed a resolution yesterday asking the House of Representatives to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on how an inmate went missing from the NBP’s maximum security compound.
1 dead, 9 hurt
Meanwhile, an inmate was stabbed dead and nine others were wounded in a shooting incident in the NBP’s maximum security compound on Tuesday.
The BuCor said yesterday the shooting stemmed from an altercation between two inmates belonging to rivals Bahala na Gang and Batang City Jail.
While the two inmates were pacified, another inmate – Joseph Serrano, who was not party to the earlier altercation – fired a gun and wounded nine other inmates.
Yet another inmate, identified as Alvin Barba, was later found dead. He had been stabbed with an icepick.
The BuCor said it is still investigating whether the shooting and the stabbing incidents were related. – Neil Jayson Servallos, Sheila Crisostomo