Mass grave unearthed in Leyte

HILONGOS, Leyte – Troops and police have recovered another mass grave here believed to contain the remains of people killed by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels 22 years ago.

As of yesterday, 13 skeletons have been dug up in seven shallow graves in Sitio Sorsogon, Barangay San Antonio, an hour by helicopter from Leyte’s capital, Tacloban.

Police and troops are still scouring the area for more graves in the hope of finding the remains of 28 to 38 civilians rounded up by the NPA when they raided Barangay San Antonio during a fiesta on June 12 and 13, 1985.

Families of victims were later informed by the NPA then that they had been executed for being government spies.

Located in the dense jungle of Mt. Sacrepante, 1,500 meters above sea level, several Metro Manila-based journalists were flown here yesterday by Brig. Gen. Nestor Sadiarin, Armed Forces Civil Relations Service chief, to witness the recovery of the remains and the search for more victims.

As of 1 p.m. yesterday troops were able to dig up 13 skeletons in seven graves.

However, nobody among the village folk who trekked for two hours to the area situated at a very steep ravine were able to identify any of the 13 skeletons.

They could only hope that perhaps one of the skeletons dug up by soldiers and policemen are those of their missing relatives.

"Sana isa na dyan ang asawa ko," Olympia Lor could only say.

Olympia, now 52, said she was still nursing her four-month-old child when her husband Gorteo was forcibly taken by the rebels from their house while the latter was preparing for the fiesta.

"They at first surrounded the barrio before entering at around 1 in the afternoon and searched for the people on their list. One of those was my husband," the 52-year-old widow said in Cebuano.

Her husband was then taken by the rebels along with 38 other villagers of San Antonio, she added.

The rebels later returned to inform them that all those who were taken had been executed for being government spies, Olympia said.

The mass graves were discovered last Friday with the help of local residents of San Antonio who were encouraged by the discovery of the mass grave also known as The Garden in Barangay Sapang Dako, in nearby Inopacan town.