Skeletal remains of datu, wife discovered

The skeletal remains of a tribal chief, or datu, and his wife have been discovered in Agusan del Norte by governments after they were reported killed by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the 1990s, the Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman, disclosed Sunday.

Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr., PNP spokesman, showed to reporters a video clip of the Caraga Police Regional Office (PRO-13)’s discovery of the remains of Datu Balaw Manhumusay Magwanta and his wife, Bae Soeing Magwanta, in the hinterlands of Barangay Lawan Lawan, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.

In the six-minute video, Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz, PRO-13 regional director, was shown trekking through a mountainous area as he visited the exact spot where the remains of the royal couple were exhumed on November 1, All Saints’ Day.

He then led his men in giving the couple a decent burial in a nearby cemetery.

The remains of the royal couple, believed to have ruled the indigenous peoples (IP) in the region, were first found by Army troops, who claimed that the victims were killed by alleged communist rebels in the 1990s.

Cruz said they have been monitoring a mass grave where reported victims of NPA atrocities were buried.

“For now, what we found are the royal couple. We paid our respects in our own little way,” he said.

“Our men found a mass grave so we will also try to identify the others for us to, at least, give our respects to them,” he added.

A mass attended by soldiers, police and civilians was held at the graves of the royal couple, which was marked by a black cross with a tombstone bearing a marking: “Here lies the victims of CPP [Communist Party of the Philippines]NPA atrocities.”