Decapitated body found in Bilibid septic tank —DOJ

A decapitated body was found inside a septic tank at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) on Wednesday, according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

Remulla said the body belongs to a person deprived of liberty (PDL) who has been missing since July 15, 2023.

“‘Yung nawawalang PDL nahanap na. Patay, decapitated. That’s the status of the missing PDL. And there will be other revelations in the next few days,” said Remulla in an ambush interview.

(The missing PDL has been found. He's dead, decapitated. That’s the status of the missing PDL. And there will be other revelations in the next few days.)

Remulla said the incident is related to the so-called killings inside the NBP before the time of BuCor chief Director General Gerald Catapang.

He said they could not yet conclude the possible masterminds behind the incident.

“Sketchy pa lahat. Everything is still in the exploratory stage and we’re still trying to find out. Trying to get the bottom of everything,” the Justice Secretary said.

According to Remulla, he expects a comprehensive report from Catapang at the end of the day.

“They’re investigating. Iniimbestigahan namin lahat ng pangyayari. I’m expecting a comprehensive report at the end of the day from Director General Catapang,” he said.

K9 units

BuCor deputy director for operations Angie Bautista said K9 units from the Philippine Coast Guard detected the body on Tuesday while they were conducting search operations for the missing PDL.

“So, ngayong araw po na ito kung ano po yung naamoy ng aso, yan po yung ilalabas natin po mula doon sa septic tank,” Bautista said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(Today, we will retrieve what the K9 units detected.)

Bautista said the body was not visible from the outside.

“Hindi po. Hindi mo po siya makikita kasi ang ano po namin ito, naka chop-chop na po,” she said.

(No. You can’t see it because we think it had been chopped.)

Mass grave

Bautista also said that they are still confirming a tip from an inmate, that there is more than just one body inside the septic tank. 

“Kaya po na-trace lang namin ito dahil po sa information din ng ating mga PDL na ito po talaga ever since ang baunan,” Bautista said.

(We were able to trace this because of information from the PDLs that this was really a burial site.)

“May nag tip po na ano, yung information po na ano nga po na mass grave po ito. So doon po ako nag concentrate,” she later added.

(There was information that this was a mass grave. So I concentrated there.)

Shooting incident

A shooting incident involving members of Batang City Jail and Bahala Na Gang took place at the Quadrant 3 of the south area of the maximum security compound on Tuesday. 

Nine PDLs were hurt in the shooting while another inmate died after being stabbed.

Authorities are still investigating if the incidents are related.

Six of the injured were taken to the NBP hospital and three were taken to the Muntinlupa Hospital.

Authorities then conducted a clearing operation and found a caliber 45 pistol. It is still unclear if the confiscated weapon was the one used during the shooting. —VAL, GMA Integrated News