The Philippine Online Chronicles

More gruesome details have emerged from the autopsies of 12 of the 57 bodies recovered from the Maguindanao Massacre site (the body of an alleged 58th victim is yet to be found).

In his testimony before Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221, Chief Inspector Dean Cabrera, the medico-legal officer of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory who conducted the autopsies, described how the victims were shot multiple times.

The Thursday hearing was held in Judge Reyes’ courtroom, rather than at the prison compound in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City,where the accused are being held, as their presence was not required during Cabrera’s testimony.

Media worker Roman Cabillo suffered 28 gunshot wounds, the most number on any of the bodies so far.

“Of the 28 gunshot wounds, seven were fatal, while the remaining 21 were collectively fatal,” said Cabrera.

McDelbert Areola, another journalist, suffered 12 gunshot wounds, including a “bursting shrapnel wound.” According to Cabrera, Areola’s death “may have been caused by a gunshot wound in the head.”

Another victim, Socsargen News Today reporter Leah Dalmacio, received nine gunshot wounds, two of which were to the face.

“The [first gunshot wound] was fatal because it fractured the facial bone and lacerated the brain. This could have resulted in instantaneous death,” Cabrera said. “An injury in the skull would also have caused severe pain in the victim if she had sustained her life.”

Evidence of rape

Cabrera added that semen was found on Dalmacio’s body, suggesting sexual contact or assault at the time of the Maguindanao Massacre

“It is significant to point out [in Dalmacio’s case] that we can conclude that there is definite evidence of sexual abuse or contact,” he said.

Cabrera said in an earlier testimony that traces of semen were also found on Rahima Palawan, said to be a cousin of Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, whose wife and two sisters were among the victims.

When asked whether the prosecution would also press rape charges against the suspects, private prosecutor Nena Santos said that they “may study that possibility.”

“We still have to wait until the medico-legal is finished with the presentation of autopsy reports,” she added.

The next hearing is slated on December 15 at the Quezon City Hall of Justice. Cabrera will be continuing his testimony and prosecution witness Noh Akhil will be cross-examined by the defense panel.

It has been more than a year since the gruesome elections-related massacre.

While the trial continues, Santos has appealed to authorities to investigate reports that bribes had been made to free the massacre suspects.

“I hope the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) investigates and inform us if these reports are really true," she said. "We already have the affidavits of several witnesses recounting bribe offers made to them.”

Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) director Rosendo Dial earlier confirmed that he had received a series of "anonymous" text messages offering P50 million in exchange for facilitating the escape of the massacre suspects.