Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 24) — Authorities retrieved a headless body two days after the explosion of a motorized boat reportedly carrying National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultants Benito and Wilma Tiamzon.
The AFP Joint Task Force Storm on Wednesday reported that a female body without a head and torso was found floating on the waters near the shoreline of Brgy. Poblacion B, Tarangnan, Samar on Tuesday.
“Lower part lang po ng isang tao ang na-retrieve. ‘Yung bangka ay total wreck at nagkahiwahiwalay,” said task force spokesperson Cpt Ryan Layug.
[Translation: They only retrieved the lower part of a body. The boat was a total wreck.]
Army’s 8th Infantry Division earlier said tipsters claimed “very important persons” from the the New People’s Army — the armed wing of NDFP — rode the boat in Catbalogan City, Samar on Monday. It fueled speculations that the Tiamzon couple, fugitives who were tagged by the government’s Anti-Terrorism Council as “terrorists,” were on board.
To ascertain the identity of the remains, Scene of the Crime Operatives from the Philippine National Police gathered evidence and laboratory samples.
“The retrieval of debris and these human remains is a positive development and we are hopeful that bits of information that will be obtained from these will provide confirmation to all earlier speculations. We have coordinated with the local PNP for assistance in determining the identity of the recovered body part through appropriate laboratory procedures,” JTF Storm Commander Maj Gen Edgardo De Leon said.
The body was buried by the local government unit of Tarangnan.
