Unidentified Naga cadavers, body parts to undergo DNA

CEBU, Philippines — Following the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-led validation of retrieved bodies Barangay Tina-an, Naga City, authorities decided that identification through family members will only be temporary.

Naga City Mayor Kristine Chiong and other officials agreed that families would still rely on the results of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing in Manila.

A coordination meeting was held last Wednesday by the NBI, the Management of the Dead and the Missing (MDMP), incident commander Baltazar Tribunalo, Jr. and the families who are still looking for the missing members.

A verification and validation process was done at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Cebu City.

The cross-checking of data on the confirmed fatalities was also done to correct discrepancies.

Chiong said that the remaining unidentified bodies will be buried in temporary burial sites, while awaiting the DNA results.

Dr. Rene Cam, NBI-7 Forensic Division head, said the DNA results may still take a long time before these are completed, but will not take a year.

And once matching is completed and identified correctly, the family can claim and transfer the body to a permanent tomb they want the remains be interred.

But if family identification is found to be a mismatch, the bodies may be taken from the families who earlier claimed them.

The city allocated P500,000 for the expenses of the DNA testing of the remaining unidentified two cadavers and 13 body parts that are retrieved from the landslide area.

Meanwhile, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma is in favor of extending the search and retrieval operations in Naga City.

He said it is part of the culture of Filipinos to grieve when someone in the family dies, however, it is more painful not to see the corpse of family members believed to be dead.

Palma is thankful for all those who helped in the search, rescue and retrieval operations. — GAN (FREEMAN)