Kulot already dead when stabbed over 20 more times, PAO autopsy shows

Fourteen-year-old Reynaldo De Guzman was already dead due to two or three stab wounds when his killer chose to stab him at most 24 more times, autopsy conducted by the Public Attorney's Office showed.

Dr. Erwin Erfe, the director of the PAO's forensic laboratory, said the examination on De Guzman's remains showed that the companion of 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz was also beaten up before he was killed.

"Yung mga stab wounds po niya ay makikita sa dibdib at sa kaliwang bahagi ng kanyang katawan," Erfe said. "Dalawa o tatlo po dito ay tingin namin ay na-sustain niya habang buhay pa siya at yuong ibang stab wounds ay wala na pong buhay noong sinaksak si Kulot."

"Sa tingin po namin, yung saksak ang kanyang ikinamatay, yung dalawa o tatlong saksak ang kanyang ikinamatay at yuong ibang saksak ay nainflict na ito nang patay na si Kulot," he added.

In addition to these injuries, the PAO also found indications of beatings around De Guzman's face and body.

"Nakakita rin po kami ng senyales na binugbog si Kulot. Maga po ang kanyang dalawang mata, ang kanyang ilong, at ang kanyang bibig," Erfe said.

The autopsy requested by De Guzman's family revealed that he suffered 28 puncture wounds.

Erfe said the victim was stabbed 26 times but two of those went through his body, causing two puncture wounds.

He said two to three stab wounds made on the left side of his chest while he was alive may have been the cause of his death.

A separate autopsy was conducted by the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Wednesday evening.

Erfe added that the stab wounds indicated there was only one assailant and one direction for the stab wounds.

"Sa unang tingin po namin ay mukhang iisa lang po ang gumawa at isang direksyon lang po yuong pagsaksak. Mukhang kanan po ang ginamit sa pagsaksak at karamihan po ng mga saksak sa kanya ay nandito sa kaliwang bahagi ng kanyang katawan," he explained.

Forensic examination failed to study the tape wrapped around De Guzman's head as it was removed after his body was taken from the creek where he was found in Gapan for analysis.

"Ayon po sa sources ay nasa SOCO daw po ito at inaalisa ngayon," Erfe said.

Erfe said De Guzman's injuries clearly showed intent to kill.

"Kitang-kita po doon yung intensyon na patayin po si Reynaldo, si Kulot," he said.

De Guzman and Arnaiz were last seen together in Cainta on August 18.

Arnaiz was killed by policemen in Caloocan City after he supposedly hailed a cab in Navotas and robbed its driver.

De Guzman's body was discovered much later after going missing since Arnaiz was killed. —Rie Takumi/NB/KG, GMA News