NBI conducts autopsy on Chavez body

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted its own autopsy of the body of Army 2nd Lt. Jessica Chavez after police failed to provide them a copy of its report, as investigation of her death in Fort Bonifacio, Makati City enters its fifth day.

The NBI autopsy - conducted in Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur, where Chavez’s body has been brought back — was completed in one hour. In a long-distance call, NBI doctors reported to NBI headquarters in Manila that the results "were good."

Investigators, however, refused to disclose the result of the autopsy pending the return of the NBI doctors tomorrow. They also refused to say if Chavez was indeed pregnant at the time of her death, as reported by the 22-year-old military officer’s family, based on rumors they heard. Chavez was found dead in her room with a bullet wound in her chest.

The Chavez family had requested NBI assistance after finding the probe by the Southern Police District under Chief Superintendent Manuel Cabigon too slow. The Chavez family wants to know if there were other explanations for Jessica’s death other than suicide as police had earlier concluded.

The deceased, who was assigned to the 191st military police battalion, had earlier told her father that she wanted out of the military because she was "not happy" in it.

NBI probers revealed that the room of Jessica was disturbed after her death as shown by the location of the recovered slug.

One prober said the slug had originally struck the floor under Jessica’s bed as evidenced by its mark but scene of the crime investigators found it near the door. – Jose Aravilla