Catbalogan City — On the fourth day of search and retrieval operations, four more human remains were retrieved by search and retrieval teams in the waters off the Municipality of Tarangnan, Samar early morning of August 26, 2022, and in the waters off the island municipality of Sto Niño later that day bringing the total NPA fatalities to 6 individuals.
Tarangnan Municipal Police Station (MPS) received a phone call from a resident who reported that he found two cadavers afloat in Brgy Baras, Tarangnan, Samar. The search and retrieval team, composed of personnel from Philippine Coast Guard, Tarangnan MPS, Samar PNP Maritime Station, AFP’s Joint Task Force (JTF) Storm and Tarangnan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) responded and retrieved the 2 male cadavers at around 9:00 AM.
Later on the same day, another portion of human remains was found in Brgy San Vicente, Libacun Daku, Tarangnan. The same team retrieved the decomposing remains and brought them straight to the municipal cemetery at around 11:00AM. PNP’s Samar Provincial Forensics Unit – SOCO team conducted a post mortem examination prior to burial.
In the island town of Sto Niño, local police reported that remains of a woman were retrieved at the seawaters of Brgy. Buenavista, Sto. Niño, Samar. A fisherman with the help of a resident of said barangay dragged it towards the shore and reported it to the Quick Response Team of Sto. Niño. The Municipal Health Officer and Sanitary inspector decided to immediately bury the remains in a public cemetary.
It was observed that most of the retrieved cadavers have totally ruptured upper portion. JTF Storm spokesperson Cpt Ryan Layug explained that this could have been because of the configuration of boats common in Samar wherein the luggage area is normally on the chest level of passengers whether they are seated or standing inside the boat. The NPA’s who were then transporting explosive components could have placed their stuff on that portion of the boat: “kapag nasa banca po tayo usually kalevel ng pasahero ang pinapatungan ng mga gamit. Malaking posibilidad na nung nag detonate yung explosive components na dala nung mga suspected NPA terrorist ay upper body nila ang napuruhan dahil karaniwang pataas ang trajectory ng blast”.
Yesterday morning, AFP’s JTF Storm commander Maj Gen Edgardo De Leon went on aerial reconnaissance aboard an Airforce Blackhawk helicopter to see for himself the extent of the area where the search and retrieval efforts are ongoing. “Hindi po talaga madaling mahanap ang mga cadavers kasi napadpad na ang mga ito sa iba’t-ibang lugar dahil sa lakas ng alon. Pero sa tulong ng mga mangingisda at mga residente, nakikita at nareretrieve ang mga ito. Nasa advanced stage of decomposition na mga labi kaya minabuti ng mailibing agad for health and sanitation reasons. As of today, a total of 6 human remains were retrieved, 3 male, 2 female, 1 undetermined”, said MajGen De Leon.
“Tuloy pa rin ang pagtugis natin sa mga teroristang NPA dito sa Eastern Visayas para tuluyan ng matapos ang insurgency. Ito ang hiling ng mga residente dito sa Samar para matigil na ang pangongolekta ng NPA ng “butaw” sa mga magsasaka. Sa kabila ng aming opensiba, nananatiling bukas ang pinto ng pamahalaan sa mga teroristang NPA na gusto ng magbalik-loob at magbagong buhay” De Leon concluded.
The three bodies retrieved yesterday in Tarangnan were blessed by a priest before being buried at Tarangnan Municipal Cemetery at around 3 p.m. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
