Sun.Star: Remains of massacre victims unearthed in Cebu

CEBU CITY - A case that happened 23 years ago may be reopened with the unearthing of nine skeletal remains in a mountain village of Balamban town Friday. A joint team from the 78th Infantry Battalion and the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) dug out the remains of the Anugot family, who were allegedly massacred by New People's Army (NPA) rebels on October 9, 1985. Mario Anugot was the lone survivor in the attack that night. His father Mauricio, mother Saria, siblings Peng, Titing, Marlyn and three others were stabbed and strafed in their sleep in Sitio Mayana, Barangay Gaas, Balamban. At that time, three persons were sued for the massacre, but the case was dismissed four years later when Mario appeared as a witness for the four and alleged that the NPA was behind the attack. Balamban Mayor Alex Binghay, who was vice mayor at the time, recalled that it took a day and a half for them to get to Barangay Gaas during those days because there were no roads yet. He said that in the 1980s, the NPA had a stronghold in Balamban and had several mass supporters there. He recalled that there were at least four NPA commanders based in his town. CPPO Director Carmelo Valmoria said they will compile all the information so they can file a case against those responsible for the killing of the victims. The Anugot family was said to be one of the mass supporters of the NPAs, and had sold many of their livestock for the communist cause. However, they refused one request of the NPA to sell their pigs because they were saving it for Mario's wedding. He was 22 then. While he went out of the house to relieve himself, a group of armed rebels, allegedly led by a Ka Willy Abatayo, arrived at his house. They were with Venancio Labajo, a neighbor who was forcibly taken from his house to guide them to the Anugots' home. Binghay told reporters that after the massacre, barangay officials decided to bury the family in a shallow grave in their farm. Days later, he alleged that members of Karapatan and Bayan filed cases against then barangay captain Rufino Oberes, Evermo Duran and Pedro Sabate. "During that time, there were more than 100 killed and buried in the mountains. Ang uban, maanod nalang sa sapa kung mag-uwan. Everyday naa'y patay (When it rained, some bodies turned up in the river. Someone was killed every day)," Binghay said. A witness who led police and military to the area said the Anugot family and Labajo were strafed and left to die. The witness was one of those who buried the family members. The remains were blessed by assistant parish priest Willy Genelaso. Lieutenant Colonel Raymundo Bañares, commander of the 78th IB, said they received a request from the family to unearth the remains, saying it took them years to seek the remains of their family members because of fear. They only got the information last week, after skeletons of two bodies were also recovered in two caves in Barangay Sudlon 1, Cebu City. As for Ka Willy, Valmoria said they still have to check on their order of battle because many of them used aliases. Insp. Oliver Lariosa of the Regional Crime Laboratory said they will bring the bones and other items to their office and have Dr. Nestor Sator, medico-legal officer, examine them. After the bones have been sorted out, these will be released to the relatives. Fr. Genelaso suggested that it was best the bones be buried in a cemetery or deposited in a bone chamber so that family members can pay their respects to their dead kin. - Sun.Star Cebu