PRO-2 turns over to Army’s 17th IB three excavated corpses of soldiers

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 4): PRO-2 turns over to Army’s 17th IB three excavated corpses of soldiers

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- The Police Regional Office-2 had facilitated the turnover to Philippine Army’s 17th Infantry Batallion of three decomposed remains of soldiers that were excavated from a shallow grave inside a small church in Sitio Masi, Rizal, Cagayan, on Friday.

PRO 2’s Public Information Officer Police Supt. Alex delos Santos confirmed this after Bishop Jun Andaya, Vicariate of Tabuk City, handed over the cadavers to PNP- Tuao, which later reported the matter to its higher units.

The cadavers were later identified by the Army to be that of Privates First Class Jay Tugao and Victor Balao-as, and a certain Jayson Santor.

The three, were earlier abducted by armed men, believed to be members of the New People’s Army last Feb. 25 in Sitio Turutukan, San Juan, Zinundungan, Rizal, Cagayan, Santos quoted reports from the 17th IB as saying.

Santos said that last Wednesday, Father Andaya received reports about the discovery of the victims’ remains in Masi, Rizal’s small church prompting them to proceed to the area.

Father Andaya later did the rituals of blessing the corpses along with some barangay kagawads and residents.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=779425