Forensic pathologist says activists killed in southern Luzon were ‘shot to be killed’

WOUND PATTERNS in the bodies of nine slain activists in southern Luzon last March 7 indicate that they were “shot to be killed,” said the chairman of the University of the Philippines’ Department of Pathology. “All of the victims had gun shots in the chest, indicating that they were shot to be killed,” Raquel B. del Rosario-Fortun said in a press conference held by a human rights group on Wednesday. She said the death of the activists must be investigated for homicide. The nine were killed in separate search warrant operations carried out by the police in provinces within the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), a region south of the capital Manila. At least seven of the dead were identified as members of progressive and indigenous groups, according to human rights group Karapatan. Ms. Fortun also said the bodies “were not in good shape” when she received them, noting that some embalming had been undertaken and the gunshot wounds were already sutured. Ms. Fortun also narrated that labor rights leader Dandy Miguel, who was the one who coordinated with her for the examination of the bodies, was gunned down while riding his motorcycle in Laguna three weeks after the incident. “Who wanted him killed?” she said. Human rights lawyer Josalee S. Deinla, meanwhile, stressed the need to review the rules in issuing search warrants, and that “most important is to have a leader who does not encourage law enforcers to kill.” Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra told reporters in a group message on Wednesday that he has ordered to expedite the investigation on the incident, but was informed that the sites were extremely difficult to access. “Be that as it may, the Calabarzon incidents remain high in the priorities of the AO (Administrative Order) 35 committee,” he said. “My understanding is that some of the places where the incidents occurred are quite remote and the terrain is difficult, but it will be much clearer after we have conferred with the investigating teams or we have seen their reports,” he said. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago