Army, PNP exhume pregnant mother corpse, 2 other bodies of Lumad family

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jun 22): Army, PNP exhume pregnant mother corpse, 2 other bodies of Lumad family

Joint elements of the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion, Philippine National Police in Bukidnon, Agusan, and Public Safety officers exhumed three bodies of “Lumad (Indigenous People)” discovered 56 kilometers east of Malaybalay City.

Lt Col Lennon G Babilonia, 8th Infantry Battalion commander said the three bodies of a Lumad family, including a pregnant mother, were buried by the New People’s Army (NPA) at the site where the family was ambushed by said NPAs.

The 10 year-old boy who survived the ambush recounted that while he and his family were on their way to Agusan del Sur, the armed group believed to be NPAs, ambushed them in broad daylight of June 5 near Tagikan River, San Luis, Agusan del Sur.

The boy said that his pregnant mother, his father, uncle, two brothers, and his sister were among those he believed were already killed by the NPAs as he saw with his own eyes the merciless firing of weapons towards them before his escape.

This led the army and the police to join efforts in the investigation in order to recover the bodies of the victims buried some 56 kilometers east of Malaybalay City.

Discovered in the site was a grave where the three bodies of Bocalas family were buried together, including the pregnant mother. All were found riddled with bullets and already decomposing.

On June 8, 2016, the NPA South Central Bukidnon Sub‐regional Command, in a media statement, admitted the murder of Bocalas family because of the crimes they allegedly committed against the people.

In a statement, Babilonia condemns the killing. He said this is a serious violation of human rights.

“This is plain and simple murder of helpless parents and kids trying to live a normal life as Lumads. The NPAs killed a pregnant mother, two family members, and three other children—who, the relatives have presumed dead and buried somewhere else—just because of their accusations of having committed crimes against the people. That is ridiculous! Those few people who are still blindly supporting the NPA should rethink if they are aiding a revolutionary group or a criminal group," he said.

He also commended the PNP and military forces who hiked the mountains for the two‐day search and recovery effort in order to give the victims a decent traditional burial and peace of mind for the relatives who offered tribal ritual and prayers at the grave site.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1501466586669/army-pnp-exhume-pregnant-mother-corpse-2-other-bodies-of-lumad-family