PNP backpedals, says no headless body found in Sulu

Fro The Daily Tribune (Nov 21): PNP backpedals, says no headless body found in Sulu

Clarifying its own statement issued Thursday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday retracted report that a headless body, believed to have been that of beheaded Malaysian Bernard Then, was found in Sulu province on Wednesday.

“For clarification, there was no headless body recovered in Barangay Kagay, Indanan, Sulu last Wednesday,” Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, spokesman for the PNP, said in a statement released yesterday.

Ironically, it was Mayor who also issued the statement on Thursday saying that a headless body was found in Barangay Kagay, even stating that PNP forensics investigators have started conducting examination on the recovered body.

On Tuesday, a severed head was found in downtown Jolo – hours after reports spread that the Abu Sayyaf band of Idang Susukan and Alden Bagade beheaded Then after his family failed to pay P50 million ransom demand.

Mayor confirmed that the severed head was recovered and is now under examination for identification procedure.

“The severed human head is now in the custody of the AFP Trauma Center at Kampo Heneral Teodulo Bautista in Busbus, Jolo Sulu for preservation and safekeeping,” said Mayor.

While both the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have not confirmed that the severed head was that of Then, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was in Manila when the beheading report spread for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit, already expressed sympathies to the family of Then.

Razak even called on authorities to act against those responsible in the “barbaric” act.
Then, along with fellow Malaysian Thien Nyuk Fun, was snatched by Abu Sayyaf bandits at a floating restaurant owned by Fun in Sandakan last May.

Fun was released earlier this month after her family allegedly paid P30 million in ransom.

According to Mayor, there are ongoing efforts to validate reports about a headless body buried in Indanan.

“Ongoing operations are focused in Indanan for possible recovery of a headless body that is reportedly buried in the area,” said Mayor.

“Initially SOCO took Buccal Swab of the severed head for possible DNA identification procedure,” he added.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/pnp-backpedals-says-no-headless-body-found-in-sulu