Zambo ‘salvage’victims buried

ZAMBOANGA CITY — City authorities buried the other day the remains of at least 49 people, mostly victims of unsolved execution-style killings, unclaimed by relatives and left to decompose in mortuaries for the last two years.

Most of the victims were shot or stabbed and are believed to be drug addicts or members of crime gangs killed by fellow criminals, police said.

The victims — 43 males, three females and three infants — were not identified.

Police said some of the victims had been shot in the head and were found hogtied and blindfolded with tags attached to their bodies saying they were involved in crimes.

Some residents, who refused to be identified for fear of reprisals, said they suspected police, soldiers or vigilantes were responsible.

They also said the victims could include suspected members of the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group, which is active in the area.

The remains, unclaimed by relatives, were decomposing in mortuaries, prompting city officials to decide to bury them.

After brief funeral rites, workers lowered 27 crates containing the remains into a 10-meter deep grave on government property in the village of Talabaan, some 20 kilometers from the city proper.

More than a year ago, 17 other victims of unsolved killings had to be buried with their coffins standing up because of lack of space in a public cemetery, said Ramon Fortuna, a city health officer. — Roel Pareño, wire reports