Three grave sites of alleged victims of New People’s Army summary executions were discovered and skeletal remains were exhumed yesterday by soldiers of the 61st Infantry Battalion in Brgy, Camindangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.

Lt. Col. Romeo Basco, 61st IB commander, said the discovery of the grave sites of civilians suspected to be military informers was based on information provided by an inactive NPA member to a militiaman, who is the son of one of the victims.

Basco said the grave site of Kagawad Porferio Tabano who was abducted in 1989 on suspicion of being a military informant, and a cave where two more skeletal remains were discovered, are a kilometer away to another grave site, all in Sitio Bangco-Bangco, Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City.

Era Tabano, 32, recalled that she was 13 years old when her father Porferio, a kagawad of Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City, was forcibly taken from their house in August 1989, while her mother just gave birth to their younger sister, Sarah.

Tabano said her mother later died as an effect of the disappearance of her father, whom she had suspected to have been killed by her abductors.

“Sarah has never seen our father,” Tabano said.

CAFGU member Jesumar Tabano said the discovery of their father’s grave was through information given by Antonio Perez, an inactive NPA member.

Jesumar said he identified the skeletal remains as that of his father through the clothes and pants he was wearing when he was abducted almost 19 years ago.

Two more skeletal remains with clothes were also found inside a cave, which is about 50 feet deep, suspected to be a dumping ground for summary execution victims, Basco said.

Almost a kilometer away from the two grave sites, Basco said another skeleton of an alleged civilian who was also a victim of NPA atrocities was also discovered and exhumed by 61st IB soldiers.

Jesumar said Perez told him the victims were tortured before they were killed by their abductors. Some were hit with wood and hard objects by their captors, and shot in the head to ensure that they were dead, Jesumar was told.

In previous years, 61st IB soldiers also exhumed skeletal remains of about 30 persons suspected as military informants in Brgys. Tabugon and Tapi, Kabankalan City.

Policemen are now assisting the 61st IB in the recovery of the remains in Sipalay City, for forensic examinations to possibly determine the identities of the victims for future claimants.

Basco is calling on families of victims of summary executions by the NPA to get in touch with the army so their relatives can be given proper burials.

The 61st and the 79th Infantry Battalions stationed in southern Negros are now under the supervision of the 302nd Infantry Brigade under the leadership of Col. Alexander Yano.*GPB

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