Human bones, believed to be a victim or victims of extra-judicial killings, have been found at an alleged former Army detachment in a village in Limay, Bataan.
The bones were discovered Tuesday after Raymond Manalo, who escaped from a military abduction months ago, identified an area in barangay Bliss, Limay, Bataan where he had been forcibly detained and where he allegedly saw elements of the 24th Infantry Batallion burn Manuel Merino's dead body.
Merino, a farmer, was reportedly abducted by the military along with missing UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño last June 2006.
Manalo joined a fact-finding team Monday in identifying three graves of possible victims of extra-judicial killings in Bataan.
Dr. Francisco Datar, head of the team of anthropology experts from UP, said Tuesday they were certain that the remains they found were small pieces of human bones.
These will be brought to laboratories for further verification.
Manalo said he saw members of the 24th Infantry Batallion burn Merino's dead body in a vacant area inside the former Army detachment in Bataan.
"The soldiers led Tatay Manuel [Merino] out of the room where they held us in chains. They said [Gen.] Palparan is just going to talk to him," Manalo said in relating the incident.
After a few minutes, however, Manalo heard somebody groan followed by gunshots.
Merino was reportedly killed June 10, 2007.
Manalo and his brother, Reynaldo, were allegedly seized by members of the 56th Infantry Batallion on February 14, 2006. They stayed in this Bataan detachment along with Merino, Cadapan, and Empeño from November 2006 to June 2007.
The excavation in barangay Bliss in Bataan is expected to be finished Wednesday.
Remains found in these graves will be sent to the National Forensic Science Research Training Institute for DNA examination.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Rachel Fortun of the University of the Philippines will oversee the DNA testing. (With a report from Purple Romero / abs-cbnNEWS.com, Newsbreak)
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