Archaeologist, anthropologist, forensic pathologist inspect DOJ excavation

MANILA — The Department of Justice on Friday halted construction of a building following the discovery of skeletal remains in the excavation site on Thursday, upon the advice of experts.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla invited forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun, social anthropologist Dr. Maria Teresa De Guzman and archaeologist Dr. Michael Canilao to inspect the site where the remains were found.

Their immediate recommendation — stop the construction and allow them to examine the site.

“Stop all work kasi nga that’s the process. When the area is positive, hinto lahat yan, talagang maantala ang trabaho,” De Guzman said, explaining they need to probe the social context of the area, especially because the remains have been removed by the National Bureau of Investigation on Thursday.

The first step is to examine the stratigraphy or the composition of the soil, which they hope to start doing by Monday.

Remulla agreed with the recommendation.

“We agreed with them already. Ipi-peel lang nila ang cement layer, kasi dun din papunta yun. We’ll give them a chance to work before we proceed with everything,” he said.

The construction is for a library building inside the DOJ compound, a project which Remulla noted, had already been delayed.

On Thursday, a skull with a hole and several skeletal remains were retrieved and examined by the NBI Forensic Division.

• Skeletal remains found at excavation site in DOJ

DOJ spokesperson Asec. Mico Clavano initially said between 3 to 5 sets of skeletons were recovered while Remulla said there were 4, quoting the NBI.

• 3-5 skeletons recovered from DOJ excavation - spox

Experts are studying the possibility that the remains could have come from the World War 2, when Manila was declared an open city and suffered heavy damage.

The main building in the DOJ compound, called the De las Alas Hall, used to be the site of the University of the Philippines’ Palma Hall prior to World War II.

It became the Justice complex when UP transferred to Quezon City after most of the university’s buildings were destroyed after the Battle of Manila, according to a DOJ document detailing the history of the Justice complex.

Fortun criticized the way the skeletal remains were handled.

She noted how the bones and skull were just picked up and lumped together, when the context where they were found should have been preserved.

“Science to eh. Nakakita ka ng patay…hindi yan basta-basta pinupulot…
Ang problema, nadissociate eh. Kasi ang habol ko dyan, as much as possible, parang crime scene, hindi mo basta-basta pinupulot ang mga buto-buto,” she said.

“Kasi ang daming tanong. Like unang-una, pinaka-basic actually, tao ba yan? And that would be easy actually pag tiningnan mo. And next would be, ilan sila?” she added.

De Guzman echoed this concern.

“Some of our ano are ignorant about the artifacts. So ang nangyayari, akala nyo kayamanan, kuha kayo nang kuha but there are laws that we have to do. It’s a process. Especially if may sites na may skeleton, huwag buhatin at ilipat agad dun. Hindi na namin makita yung context eh,” she said.

Fortun said that if indeed the remains could be traced back to the Second World War, the United States and Japanese embassies would be interested.

“If they are war dead and they are military, I’m sure the United States Embassy and the Japanese Embassy would be interested because they are that serious in getting their war dead. As in identify, repatriate. So tayo din sana sa Pilipinas, itaas din sana natin yung level. Huwag yung basta-basta,” she said.

Remulla accepted the recommendations of the experts.

“This is what we should do kasi sa lahat ng sites na may historical value he. But not many people respect that. But we’re trying to follow this now,” he said.

Experts will be back on Monday to start their own digging.

The NBI meanwhile is expected to submit its findings on the skeletal remains to the DOJ next week.

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