Raquel Fortun airs frustration over handling of dead bodies in mass disasters, incidents

Dr. Raquel Fortun expressed her frustration over the way dead bodies are handled in mass disasters and multiple casualty incidents in the Philippines.

In an exclusive interview on "The Howie Severino Podcast," Fortun, one of the only two forensic pathologists left in the country, gave three examples: the Ozone Disco fire in 1996, the Maguindanao massacre in 2009, and super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

In the Ozone Disco tragedy, 162 people lost their lives when the Quezon City nightclub went up in flames 25 years ago.

"Sa dami ng patay mo tapos nasunog pa, pinaka-critical diyan na forensic issue is identification. How do you identify the dead? So that was way back in 1996," Fortun said.

["Because there are a lot of dead bodies and they got burned, the most critical forensic issue is identification."]

The forensic pathologist said the country faced the same issue when 58 people, including 32 journalists, were killed in Maguindanao and when thousands perished in the Yolanda devastation.

"Why frustrating? Kasi parang ano ba 'yan, hindi pa natin na-anticipate na 'pag marami kang patay, number one, paano mo ipo-process? Lalo na kung may scene investigation like in Maguindanao killings. Dinampot-dampot lang 'yung patay. Wala man lang body bags," she said.

"In a mass disaster you need not do autopsy on all cases kasi wala ka talagang time for that. But at least focus on something, sa identification. But how do you do that when the bodies are now starting to decompose around you?"

["Why is it frustrating? It's because we still can't anticipate that when many died, the first thing to ask is how will you process it? Especially if the scene of investigation is similar to the Maguindanao killings. They just picked up the bodies. There were no any body bags. In a mass disaster, you need not do autopsy on all cases because you don't have time for that. But at least focus on something, on identification."]

Fortun zeroed in on the importance of using body bags, which are used to transport the dead bodies properly. She cited the case of the Maguindanao massacre, when the bodies were found after two to three hours.

"They were really found not decomposed yet, not merit on scene, on site. Pinatungan ng dahon ng saging kasi 'yun ang mayroon doon. Nabilad sila sa araw, e 'di nag-decompose. While originally, they were recently dead. Tapos nag-decompose. Ang dami mong mawawalang findings actually 'pag nag-decompose na 'yung katawan," she said.

["They were really found not decomposed yet, not merit on scene, on site. Banana leaves were just put on top of them because that was what was available. The bodies were under the heat of the sun, so of course they would decompose. While originally, they were recently dead. But it decomposed. You would lose so much findings when the body decomposes."]

"So 'yung issue ng body bag, napaka-basic nu'n, e. Bakit ganu'n? Wala ka man lang pambalot? So every step of the way, wala kang pambalot, wala kang pagdadalhan, wala kang proper examination, documentation and so on," she added.

["So the issue of body bags is so basic. Why is it like that? Why don't you have proper bags? So every step of the way, you don't have a bag, you don't have a place to bring it, you don't have proper examination, documentation and so on."]

She said that the Philippine National Police (PNP) is technically the first to handle death cases, but she has yet to see a PNP body bag. When she did see body bags during the aftermath of Yolanda, they were provided by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Red Cross.

Fortun also outlined the steps to handle dead bodies in mass disaster situations, where identifications are critical.

"You check the body for identifying features, you interview the next of kin, 'yung mga naghahanap ng missing and ask them to identify the dead and then, you match. Antemortem and postmortem information. So that's how it's done," the doctor said.

["You check the body for identifying features, you interview the next of kin, those looking for the missing and ask them to identify the dead and then, you match."]

Fortun lamented the lack of improvement in the processing of dead bodies in the Philippines.

"Ang tagal na, paulit-ulit na lang. Walang pagbabago... Masyado yata tayong tolerant of poor performance. We just accept mistakes. Ganu'n ba 'yun?"

["It's been so long but it's just repeating. Nothing has changed... Perhaps we're too tolerant of poor performance. We just accept mistakes. Is that how it is?"]

Initially, Fortun thought that we weren't a rich enough country to have a death investigation system, but she then realized that the Philippines isn't that poor—funding "just isn't put in the right places."

"May pera naman tayo, e, pero hindi maganda 'yung pamamalakad such that nasasagot mo 'yung basic needs... And again, kung hindi napa-prioritize 'yung buhay, nananakawan tayo, e 'di all the more hindi rin napa-prioritize 'yung patay," Fortun said.

["We have money, but the way it's being handled isn't good such that we can answer the basic needs... And again, if the living aren't prioritized, we get robbed, so all the more the dead aren't prioritized."]

—Kaela Malig/MGP, GMA News