Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) — Authorities have found inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) the decapitated body of an inmate reported to be missing for days, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
“‘Yung katawan n’ya nahanap na ‘yan sa Sputnik compound,” DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Thursday.
The inmate reported missing last July 15 was identified as 25-year-old Michael Cataroja. Remulla said authorities are now looking for the prisoner’ s head.
During this process, other remains were also discovered inside a septic tank in the national penitentiary, the DOJ chief noted.
Prison authorities tapped the expertise of the National Bureau of Investigation and the K9 Force of the Philippine Coast Guard for the search and rescue of Cataroja.
The cadaver dogs, trained to detect decomposing flesh, led to the discovery of the chopped-up body parts hidden in the septic tank, the BuCor said in a statement Wednesday.
Remulla said an investigation is ongoing to determine how many bodies were dumped in the septic tank.
“We are investigating, iniimbestigahan namin lahat ng pangyayari. I’m expecting a comprehensive report at the end of the day from Director General Catapang,” Remulla told reporters during an ambush interview on Wednesday, referring to Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gregorio Catapang Jr.
[Translation: We are investigating everything that happened.]
Other details were not disclosed, but Remulla said they might need the help of forensic anthropologists.
“Sketchy pa lahat (everything is sketchy), everything is still in the exploratory stage and we’re still trying to find out, trying to get to the bottom of everything,” he explained. “We still have to find the timeline pa kaya wala kaming mako-conclude (so we cannot make any conclusion yet).”
Remulla last week ordered a search for the missing PDL.
Asked what was the possible motive behind Cataroja’s death, he said the inmate allegedly had many debts and had a feeble mind.
Remulla said the incident proves the urgent need to build more regional prison facilities to decongest the NBP.
Lawmakers from the ACT-CIS party-list led by Rep. Erwin Tulfo filed a resolution seeking a probe into the incident.
House Resolution 1136 filed by Erwin and Jocelyn Tulfo with Edvic Yap called on the appropriate House panels to investigate the relevant government agencies in charge of the custody and rehabilitation of persons deprived of liberty.
Last year, prison authorities discovered nearly 200 unclaimed bodies of inmates at an NBP-accredited funeral parlor.
