Slower identification of Yolanda fatalities seen as NBI adopts INTERPOL way

For days, balikbayan Mary Joy Ducusin searched Tacloban City to find her six-year-old son who was swept away by surging seawater during the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda.

She clung on to hope that she would see him alive, but that hope was dashed when she received a text message from her neighbor informing her that a body of a boy wearing a green shirt and carrying a stuffed toy was found.

A trip to the area confirmed Ducusin's greatest fear: Her son, Jayro Den, was among the thousands killed by Typhoon Yolanda.

“My baby loves the stuffed toy so much because when he was born, even in the hospital, he got that stuffed toy. He called it Coco,” she said.

Although grieving, Ducusin was lucky to have found her son. In the typhoon-hit provinces of Leyte and Samar, countless others are still looking for their loved ones amid the rows of cadavers still waiting to be claimed. The bodies have become harder to identify due to their advance state of decomposition.

The identification process may get slower after the government adopted the more detailed INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) procedure of identifying corpses. Under the INTERPOL way, an investigator will secure DNA samples and fingerprints from the cadaver, and examine its dental records.

Forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun and a team of doctors earlier tried to help identifying the cadavers using a procedure espoused by the World Health Organization (WHO), which she said is faster and more practical. It is done by examining the body, taking note of the distinguishing marks and clothes, checking the pockets for any documents or information, and taking photograph of the teeth and other features. The height and built of the bodies, as well as the place they are found, are also considered.

Fortun said these notes will be compared to the description of the missing persons as provided by their loved ones.

Fortun vs. NBI

This way, however, was not accepted by forensics experts from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), whom Fortun accused of belittling their efforts and making them feel unwelcome in the operation.

“They were saying that what we are doing is wrong. That they are in charge, there is an administrative order saying they are in charge. We should not be doing the identification because that is not the proper way, the best way is using the INTERPOL way,” she said in an interview with GMA News.

She said after the confrontation with some NBI officers, she was surprised to learn that the Department of Health(DOH) has dissolved her team as the focus of the department is no longer the identification of cadavers but the prevention and treatment of leptospirosis and other diseases in the typhoon-affected areas.

Fortun, a noted forensic pathologist, said she was also told that the NBI is the lead agency on the identification of the bodies.

“Simple misunderstanding”

NBI officer in charge Medardo De Lemos said the issue with Fortun was “just a simple misunderstanding.”

“One of them was just explaining to Dr. Raquel that NBI is tasked to do the actual DVI (Disaster Victim Identification) and that it's something that NBI has done many times before. Baka na-misinterpret lang ni Dr. Raquel,” he said in a text message to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

De Lima, for her part, said: “My attitude, though, in situations like this is any and all help from relevant sectors is welcome, but NBI is the designated lead agency when it comes to disaster victim identification. We justs need to set up the right processes and protocols for cooperation and optimal efficiency.”

Without a system

Fortun noted that when she arrived in Tacloban on November 17, nine days after Yolanda hit most of the Visayas and several areas in Southern Luzon, there was no system in place as to the process of identifying the fatalities.

“Pick up ka ng pick up ng katawan, ano gagawin mo sa katawan? This is just for Tacloban. Dinadala sa sementeryo. Ano ang ginagawa? Naabutan namin may malaking trench na hinuhulugan ng 700 plus bodies na walang sistema. Walang order ang paghulog. I don’t think may proper tagging yan. Wala kaming naabutan na nag e-examine,” she said.

The NBI set up their DVI system two weeks after the typhoon.

Fortun said a very detailed and slower process of identification is not apt in disaster situation.

“Sa amin, expeditious. Di naman mali yan pero ang amin, mabilisan. Masyadong madami (ang patay). If you do it the INTERPOL, ito ang detalyado. Hindi kakayanin talaga. Ito yung more applicable sa criminal cases,” she said.

Two ways of identifying bodies

A DOH press statement on November 15 said the department has convened a meeting of forensics experts from WHO, NBI, and the University of the Philippines “to establish a quick system of management of dead bodies.”

It said that each team will be able to handle 40 dead bodies every day and “photos, identifying marks and belongings, and appropriate samples for possible DNA testing will be collected as practical as can be, considering prevailing harsh conditions.”

Meanwhile, the INTERPOL, on its website, said “comparison of fingerprints, dental records or DNA samples with ones stored in databases or taken from victims’ personal effects are often required to obtain a conclusive identification.” It said the process of identifying victims of major disasters such as terrorist attacks or earthquakes is rarely possible by visual recognition.

According to the organization's Disaster Victim Identification guide, the primary and most reliable means of identification are fingerprint analysis, comparative dental analysis and DNA analysis.

“Secondary means of identification include personal description, medical findings as well as evidence and clothing found on the body. These means of identification serve to support identification by other means and are ordinarily not sufficient as a sole means of identification,” it said.

Dead and forgotten?

Fortun questioned the preparedness of government agencies in handling incidents similar to Typhoon Yolanda.

“Parang complacent yata, na plantsado na yan, may protocol etc. Sinasabi nila ito ang agency in charge pero nangyayari ba talaga? Do we even review ang resulta? Pagdating kasi sa patay, pag nailibing na, kalimot na yan. Sasabihin ilibing na, di mo na nakita, di mo na naamoy, then that’s it. Kawawa ang kamag-anak. Paulit ulit na lang,” she said.

“May ahensya pero ano ba ang capability ng ahensya? Paulit-ulit, kailangan mo ng refrigerated container trucks para store mo ang bodies. Eh ang ahensya mo, may gamit ba? Ang tendency yata is humingi ng tulong sa labas, hihingi ng tulong kaya laging pumapasok ang INTERPOL then sasabihin this is the INTERPOL way. Kelan tayo magkakaroon ng sarili natin kung lagi na lang aasa sa labas?” she added.

Fortun said they were able to document 346 bodies but they are not sure if NBI will use the details they gathered or it will start all over again and if the DOH will integrate the records.

She said she is just hoping that the local government units will make true to their promise that the records will be uploaded on the internet and through the social media help the people who are looking for their missing loved ones.

“Gusto namin i-post ang pictures ng mga tattoo, damit. We are hoping may maka-recognize pero di pa nagagawa, plano pa lang. Syang ang information. I don’t know what NBI will do. Ang plano dapat dyan, ang central office na mag-iintegrate ay DOH. Eh nawala na ang grupo namin. I don’t know,” she said. — KBK, GMA News