Silawan raped, PAO expert says

The 16-year old Christine Lee Silawan was raped, burnt with sulfur acid, and may have been bit by animals, a forensic expert from the Public Attorney’s Office said yesterday.

Doctor Erwin Erfe told GMA News that there was visible hematoma around the girl’s private parts.

The results were photographed using macro photographic lenses.

Erfe said there were markings of a fingertip in her neck, showing signs she may have been strangled and tied.

There were also signs she was raped due to the extensive abrasion that made her private part bleed. He also saw lacerations there.

However, no fluids from a man were recovered during examination.

“May multiple hematoma, ibig sabihin pinuwersa. Ang summary ng findings ay nakakita kami evidence na siya ay ni-rape (There were multiple hematoma, which means there was force applied. We found evidence that she was raped,” Erfe said.

Another significant finding, Erfe said, were the teeth marks on the girl’s bones, which may have been left by dogs, cats or rodents who bit her.

“Ang significant finding may sinyales na kinagat ng hayop… ang buto may teeth marks… maaring aso, pusa at rodents. Hindi ko lang masabi if ang mga hayop ang kumuha sa internal parts (A significant finding were the teeth marks on the bones. She may have been bitten by dogs, cats, or rodents),” he said.

Erfe said their findings showed that Silawan was killed first before sulfuric acid was thrown at her face and before half of her face was skinned. After that, acid was thrown at her face again.

“Sa pagkamatay ni Christine ay binuhusan siya ng substance sa mukha ng asido dahil sa kulay ng sunog noong tiningnan ang edges… noong nakita, brown and black ang sunog sa ulo and leeg… mukhang ang agent na ginamit, base sa review, ay sulfuric acid (Based on the brown and black burn marks, acid was thrown at her face. Sulfuric acid may have been used),” he said.

The recent findings are contrary to findings of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory - 7 that there were no abrasions in Silawan’s private parts.

The FREEMAN sought for the PNP examiner but the examiner said permission from Camp Crame is needed.

Silawan was found dead at a vacant lot in Barangay Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City on March 11. She was missing her undergarments; skinned to the bone; and her tongue, trachea and esophagus hulled out.

Her 17-year old former lover was identified by the National Bureau of Investigation-7 as suspect. The boy is now under the custody of Lapu-Lapu City Department of Social Welfare and Development.